Swati Maliwal: AAP has given in under a 'goon's pressure', now questioning my character

Swati Maliwal. File photo

AAP MP Swati Maliwal on Friday took a jibe at her party for dismissing her assault allegations against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar as baseless, reported news agency PTI. She also said the AAP has given in under a "goon's pressure" and is now questioning her character.

Commenting on the AAP's changed reaction to her allegation, the Rajyasabha MP said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has taken a "U-turn" two days after it accepted that Kumar had "misbehaved" with her.

Her reaction came after AAP leader Atishi at a press conference said that the assault case is a BJP conspiracy to frame Kejriwal. Maliwal is the "face" of this "conspiracy" and the allegations levelled by her against Kumar are "baseless", Atishi said.

Taking to X, Maliwal in a post in Hindi, said, "The leaders who joined the party (AAP) yesterday declared a worker who has been with it for 20 years an agent of the BJP. Two days ago, the party had accepted the truth in a press conference and, today, it has taken a U-turn."

On Tuesday, senior AAP leader and MP Sanjay Singh had said that the incident with Maliwal was "highly condemnable" and had claimed that Kumar had "misbehaved" with her.

Without naming Kumar, she said, "This goon is threatening the party (AAP) saying that 'if I get arrested, I will reveal all the secrets'. That is why he is roaming around in Lucknow and everywhere seeking shelter."

"Today, under his pressure, the party gave in and to save a goon, my character was questioned by the entire party. No problem, I have been fighting alone for women of the entire country, I will fight for myself too. Do character assassination as much as possible, the truth will come out when the time comes," Maliwal said on X.

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Kumar for allegedly assaulting Maliwal at the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official residence. The FIR was registered after Maliwal's statement was recorded by a two-member team, led by Additional Commissioner of Police P S Kushwaha. It was at the Rajya Sabha member's residence in Central Delhi for nearly four and a half hours.

Officials said the FIR has been registered under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to violence against a woman.

The development came two days after Maliwal went to the Civil Lines police station and alleged that a member of Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Kejriwal's personal staff "assaulted" her at the CM's official residence.

Atishi said that Kumar has also filed a police complaint against Maliwal.