Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh Spotted With Bibhav at Lucknow Airport? BJP Shares Image

New Delhi: Days after promising action against Bibhav Kumar for assaulting Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal at the CM residence, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh were seen with him at the Lucknow airport on Wednesday night, claimed BJP. Former DCW chief Swati Maliwal had accused Bibhav of assaulting her at the CM residence on Monday, following which Sanjay Singh admitted the same at a press conference. Sanjay Singh had had claimed that strong action would be taken against the accused. 

As Arvind Kejriwal landed in Lucknow, Bibhav Kumar was seen accompanying Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh as they landed in Lucknow, claimed BJP lesdr Kapil Mishra as he shared an image of the same. Arvind Kejriwal's visit to Lucknow comes as the Opposition INDI bloc is exploring the possibility of holding a joint press conference with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Lucknow.

BJP Ups Ante 

Sharing pictures from the Lucknow airport, the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders questioned Kejriwal over inaction in the Swati Maliwal assault row. BJP said that instead of punishing Kumar, Kejriwal is making him tour the country along with him. 

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called AAP -  Anti women anarchist party. “72 hours, No FIR on Bibhav Kumar instead Kejriwal is protecting him ! Roaming around with him.. It is clear- attack on Swati Maliwal was done at behest of Kejriwal himself,” said the BJP leader.  “Sheesh Mahal is Apradh Mahal & just like Draupadi cheerharan - a woman Rajya Sabha MP was subjected to violence , assault Now she is being pressured to keep Silent or change her story as is evident from statements of Naveen Jaihind & Nitin Tyagi of AAP hence she hasn’t approached the police yet,” he added. 

“Sanjay Singh ji was saying that you will take strict action against Bibhav but you started making him tour the whole country,” said BJP leader Tajinder Bagga. Meanwhile, the vice president of the BJP's Delhi unit, Kapil Mishra, also shared the picture of Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh and Bibhav Kumar together at the Lucknow airport, pointing out how the Rajya Sabha MP had condemned the incident earlier.

"This is the photo of Lucknow airport last night The one in the black shirt is Vibhav who hit Swati Maliwal Along with Sanjay Singh who said that Bibhav did a very wrong thing, Kejriwal is angry The third one is Kejriwal himself who is accused of getting Swati beaten up," Mishra posted on X.

Sanjay Singh Meets Swati Maliwal 

On Wednesday, AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh met Swati Maliwal at her residence. He was accompanied with Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) member Vandana Singh. Police had also visited her residence on Minto Road on Tuesday.

AAP Admits to Assaultgate

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, on Tuesday, admitted that Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar "misbehaved" with Maliwal. Addressing a press conference a day after Maliwal alleged that a member of Kejriwal's personal staff "assaulted" her, Singh said AAP supremo Kejriwal will take strict action in the matter.

“Yesterday morning, Maliwal had gone to meet Arvind Kejriwal at his residence. While she was waiting to meet him in the drawing room, Bibhav Kumar came and misbehaved with her. This is a highly condemnable incident. Kejriwal has taken cognisance of it and will take strict action in the incident,” said the AAP leader.

To this, Swati Maliwal's ex-husband Naveen Jaihind said that Sanjay Singh is a parrot. “Sanjay Singh is a parrot of Arvind Kejriwal. Singh knew that such an incident would take place, he knew what had happened,” said Jaihind.

BJP Demands Action, No FIR Yet

The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded that Singh's statement should be the basis for immediate filing of an FIR by police and those guilty should be promptly dealt with. BJP leaders recalled how chief secretary was assaulted by Kumar earlier by Bibhav. In February 2018, the then Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash, had alleged that he was assaulted by AAP MLAs at Kejriwal's residence in the presence of the chief minister and Manish Sisodia, who was then the deputy chief minister.

Delhi Police, however, said they are still waiting for her to come and file a formal complaint, but added that they have not closed the DD (daily diary) entry as Maliwal had come to the police station on Monday and said she would return to lodge a case. They can initiate action in the matter if the complainant herself comes to the police station and formally files a case or emails a complaint to police, said an officer to PTI.