NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police, in its chargesheet against Bibhav Kumar in the Swati Maliwal assault case, has claimed that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also present at the “scene of crime” immediately after the parliamentarian was assaulted.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Maliwal was allegedly assaulted at the residence of the CM at civil lines in north Delhi on May 13 following which the Delhi Police arrested Bibhav. On July 16, the Delhi Police had submitted a 500-page chargesheet against Kumar before Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal of the Tis Hazari Court, which included testimonies from about 50 witnesses.
As per the chargesheet, the investigators indicated that there could be a larger conspiracy behind the assault. “The manner in which the AAP leaders and workers came in support of the accused shows that there is a larger conspiracy behind the attack,” read an excerpt from the chargesheet which quoted Maliwal’s supplementary statement before the court.
The cops claimed that Maliwal’s statement becomes relevant for the present investigation in view of the “complete U-turn” being publicly taken by two responsible persons of the party. The police also stated that selective footage from relevant CCTV cameras were “leaked to the media” before the relevant recording devices could be seized. “This act also needs to be examined to find out whether the crime was conspirational or otherwise,” it read.
Maliwal had alleged that Bibhav slapped, dragged and threatened her when she visited Kejirwal’s residence, according to the FIR lodged by the Delhi Police.
CM’s aide Kumar alleged that former DCW chief “forcefully and illegally” trespassed into CM’s house and “falsely implicated” him. Delhi Police registered a case of molestation and attempted culpable homicide against Kumar at the Civil Lines Police Station.
The Delhi Court had acknowledged the chargesheet on July 30 and scheduled the matter for the scrutiny of documents on August 24. The court has also instructed that a copy of the chargesheet be provided to Kumar.