New Delhi: Amid the raging row surrounding Swati Maliwal in the assault case, the AAP Rajya Sabha MP on Sunday claimed that famous YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, in cahoots with Aam Aadmi Party, led a smear campaign against her. Taking to X, the former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief further alleged that when she tried reaching out to Rathee to tell him her version, he didn't even respond to her calls. Maliwal saw this latest "character assassination" attempt by AAP and Rathee as a ploy to "intimidate" her into withdrawing the case.

Sharing Rathee's "one-sided video" on X, Maliwal wrote, "It is shameful that people like him, who claim to be independent journalists could act like other AAP spokespersons and victim shame me to the extent that I am now facing extreme abuses and threats."

Sharing pictures of death and rape threats against her, Maliwal wrote, "The manner in which the entire party machinery and it supporters have attempted to vilify and shame me, speaks volumes on their stand on women issues", adding that she had reported the social media threats against her to the Delhi police.

Highlighting the facts that Dhruv Rathee failed to mention in the 2.5 minute-long video against her, Maliwal posed few questions for Rathee: "1. Party took a U-turn on its stand after accepting the incident has happened, 2. ⁠MLC report that reveals injuries due to the assault, 3. ⁠Selected part of the video was released and then phone of the accused was formatted?, 4. ⁠The accused was arrested from the crime scene (CM house). Why was he allowed to enter the place again? For tampering of evidence?, 5. How a woman who always stood for the right issues, even went to Manipur alone without security could be bought over by the BJP?"

K