Swati Maliwal Gets CRPF Protection Days After Alleged Assault at Arvind Kejriwal's Delhi Residence

New Delhi: Days after sitting Rajya Sabha MP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Swati Maliwal alleged assault by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant and close aide Bibhav Kumar while she was visiting the CM's residence in the national capital, Maliwal was on Thursday granted the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) protection, nearly five hours after a team of the Delhi Police held discussion at Maliwal's house, and recorded her statement in the assaultgate.

Four commandoes of the CRPF will be stationed outside Maliwal's residence, Republic has learnt. 

Members of the Delhi Police team reached Maliwal's house twice within a span of 24 hours, and after recording Maliwal's statement late Thursday evening, the Delhi Police officials briefed the commissioner over the matter. According to Special Cell sources, the FIR in the Swati Maliwal assault case will be filed only by the North District Police.

A Delhi Police team was at AAP MP's house for about four hours and 35 minutes in connection with the alleged assault on her at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence. Led by Additional Commissioner of Police PS Kushwaha, the team went to Maliwal's residence around 1.50 pm to seek details of the incident. Kushwaha was accompanied by a woman police officer.

'What Happened to Me Was Very Bad’: Swati Maliwal Finally Breaks Her Silence

Nearly an hour after the Delhi Police recorded her statement, Maliwal broke her silence on the alleged assault. Taking to social media platform ‘X’, she expressed hope that appropriate action will be taken in this regard.

"What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident that happened to me. I hope that appropriate action will be taken”, Maliwal wrote in a post.

Stressing that the last few days [since the assault] have been very difficult for her, the AAP MP thanked those who prayed for her. 

“Those who indulge in the character assassination alleged that I was doing it on the instructions of the other party… May God keep them happy. A crucial election is underway in the country, and Swati Maliwal is not important, but the issues of the country are”, she further said in the post, in her first public remarks since the alleged assault.

'Must Raise Voice Against Perpetrators': NCW Chief

Meanwhile, National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma also took to ‘X’ to praise Maliwal's move.

“Well done @SwatiJaiHind . We must rise our voice against the perpetrators”, Sharma wrote in a post.

Earlier on Thursday, the NCW had summoned Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar over Maliwal's allegations. His hearing is scheduled at 11 am on Friday.

Expressing shock over CM Kejriwal's silence over the matter, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, meanwhile, condemned the AAP supremo, saying, “He has neither spoken about it nor taken any action. Let alone punishing the accused. On the contrary, Kejriwal today was seen walking around with the accused”.

On Tuesday, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh had admitted to the alleged assault, stating the incident was "highly condemnable".  

On Monday morning, Maliwal went to the Civil Lines police station in Delhi and alleged that a member of Kejriwal's personal staff "assaulted" her at the chief minister's official residence.