'I was Lady Singham, until...': Swati Maliwal, claims AAP putting her relatives in danger

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, on May 20 dismissed the allegations of being blackmailed and becoming part of a “conspiracy” against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as she is facing charges in an illegal recruitment case. 

In a post on X (formally Twitter), the AAP MP wrote,” Since yesterday, Delhi ministers are spreading lies that an FIR has been filed against me for corruption, hence I did all this on the instructions of BJP. This FIR was lodged 8 years ago in 2016 after which both the CM and LG appointed me as the Chairperson of the Women's Commission twice more. The case is completely fake on which the Hon'ble High Court has stayed for 1.5 years, who have accepted that no money transaction has taken place.” 

“According to them, until I filed a complaint against Bibhav Kumar, I was "Lady Singham" and today I have become a BJP agent? she asked in her post. 

On May 18, AAP leader Atishi claimed that Maliwal, who has Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her, is facing charges in an illegal recruitment case and she was “blackmailed” by the BJP to become part of the “conspiracy” against the Delhi CM.  

Maliwal in her post claimed that the entire troll army was deployed against her because she spoke the truth. She also alleged that requests are being sent out to all party members to share any personal video of her to harm her reputation. 

“Everyone in the party is being called and told to send Swati’s personal video if they have one, as it has to be leaked. They’re putting my relatives’ lives in danger by tweeting their details using their car numbers. Well, lies don’t last long. But in the intoxication of power and in the passion to bring someone down, it should not happen that when the truth comes out, you are not able to look even your family in the eye,” she wrote in her post. 

“I will take you to court for every lie you spread!” the AAP MP added. 

In her FIR, Maliwal said that Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar slapped her seven–eight times and repeatedly kicked her in her chest and stomach when she went to the CM’s residence on May 13. 

Maliwal further claimed that the brutal assault by Kumar did not stop even after she mentioned that she was on her periods. After the assault, she claimed her arms were sore and she had difficulty walking. 

Bibhav Kumar, aide and former personal secretary of Kejriwal, was arrested by Delhi Police on May 18 in connection with the alleged assault Maliwal. 

The police took Kumar to Delhi CM Kejriwal's residence on May 20 to recreate the alleged crime scene, an officer said. Kumar has been interrogated and the statements of around 20 people have been recorded in connection with the case, a Delhi Police officer said. The statements of the CM and his family may also be taken if required, he said.

The investigators plan to take Kumar to Mumbai as they suspect he has dumped his phone data on another system before getting it formatted, the officer said. Kumar's phone and the CCTV's DVR were recovered from Kejriwal's home and will be sent to the forensic laboratory for further examinations. Footage from eight CCTV cameras and DVRs were collected but some did not have videos of the incident, according to reports.

(With agency inputs)