Sitharaman 'shocked' at Kejriwal's silence in Swati Maliwal assault case
PTC News Desk: Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Minister of Finance, described Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's lack of response on the alleged attack on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal as "shocking". Maliwal was the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), and Sitharaman called the treatment she received disgraceful.
"It is astonishing that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has remained silent on his party's MP, Swati Maliwal, who was physically assaulted and mistreated in the chief minister's home. Sitharaman told the media in Kolkata, "The chief minister has not taken any action, replied, or spoken about it.
The minister also took aim at the AAP leader following the appearance of his assistant, Bibhav Kumar, who is accused of assaulting Maliwal, alongside the chief minister of Delhi on Wednesday at the Lucknow airport.
"I've been informed that Kejriwal was spotted out and about in Uttar Pradesh with the accused... Sitharaman expressed her disapproval of the treatment of the former head of the Delhi Commission for Women, calling it "utterly shameful."
Following Maliwal's police complaint, the Delhi Police on Thursday filed a formal complaint (FIR) in relation to the matter. An accused has been named, Bibhav Kumar.
After a Delhi Police squad recorded Maliwal's testimony at the Rajya Sabha member's home, a FIR was filed. According to sources, the AAP MP accused Bibhav Kumar of beating her with a stick, kicking, slapping, and punching her in the stomach.
This occurred two days after Maliwal went to the Civil Lines police station to report that she had been "assaulted" at the Chief Minister's official residence by a member of Arvind Kejriwal's personal staff.
At a press conference one day later, Sanjay Singh verified the claims, stating that Kumar "misbehaved" with Maliwal and that the AAP chief will take strong action.
- With inputs from agencies
