Swati Maliwal alleges CCTV tampering at Arvind Kejriwal's residence in the assault case

In a recent development in the Swati Maliwal assault case, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP has raised concerns about the potential tampering of CCTV cameras at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence.

On Friday evening, Swati Maliwal, the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), took to social media website X to express her apprehensions. She stated, "I have received information that now these people are tampering with the CCTV of the house," while also tagging the Delhi Police in her post.

Following these allegations, a team of Delhi Police officials, accompanied by forensic experts, visited the Chief Minister's residence for scene recreation on Friday evening. Maliwal was also present at the site as part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged assault on her.

After conducting the investigation and videography of the premises, the team concluded their activities and departed from the CM's residence around 2:15 am on Saturday.

Written complaint filed by Bibhav Kumar

This development came in the backdrop of a written complaint filed by Delhi CM Kejriwal's aide, Bibhav Kumar, against Maliwal. The complaint alleged unauthorised entry, verbal abuse, threats, and insinuated the possible involvement of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the incident. Meanwhile, Bibhav Kumar had his services terminated by the Vigilance Department last month due to a pending criminal case.

In response to the complaint, Kumar urged authorities to take legal action against Maliwal and requested an investigation into her alleged ties with BJP leaders, hinting at potential political motives amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Reactions to the clip

The controversy further escalated with the release of a video clip reportedly showing Maliwal engaged in a heated argument with security personnel at the CM's residence on the day of the alleged assault. This video was shared by AAP with a caption suggesting it revealed "Swati Maliwal's truth."

The incident also saw a shift in AAP's stance, with the party criticising Maliwal over the assault allegations. This move contradicted an earlier statement by AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who had expressed support for Maliwal and claimed that the party stood with her.

Formal complaint registered

On Thursday, Delhi Police had registered an FIR based on Maliwal's complaint, where she detailed the alleged assault by Bibhav Kumar at the CM's residence on May 13. The FIR included charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code related to assault, criminal force against women, criminal intimidation, and insulting the modesty of a woman.