Kejriwal Has Become a Criminal Now: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Swati Maliwal's Assault Case

Khordha: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's silence on Swati Maliwal's alleged assault. He questioned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo, asking, “Why is Kejriwal still roaming with that man (Bibhav Kumar)?”. He termed Kejriwal a “criminal”. 

While talking to mediapersons, Sarma said, "There should not be any politics on this. We are not aligned with her (Swati Maliwal) ideologically, but when there is a crime against women, it is our job to raise our voices. Swati Maliwal has given a complaint to the Delhi Police. She has said that what has happened to her is very wrong. The question is why is Arvind Kejriwal silent? Where was he when it was happening? Was he in the same room or not? Why is Kejriwal still roaming with that man (Bibhav Kumar)? Why is he not taking action against him? Kejriwal has become a criminal now and this has been reconfirmed by Swati Maliwal's tweet today..."

What Did Swati Maliwal Allege? 

Swati Maliwal claimed that she was assaulted by Arvind Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar at the Chief Minister's residence on Monday morning. Maliwal has accused Bibhav of beating her at the CM's residence. Officials said that two PCR calls were made around 10 am, after which a team from the Civil Lines police station reached the CM's residence. While an immediate reaction from the Chief Minister's residence is awaited, AAP has called it 'fake news'.

Who is Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's Close Aide?

Bibhav Kumar has been in the spotlight recently due to his dismissal from the role of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Personal Secretary by the Delhi Vigilance Department. The department cited his "illegal appointment" as the reason behind the decision. This move came in light of a 2007 case against Kumar for charges related to assault and obstructing a public servant from performing their duty.

Adding to the controversy, in February 2024, Bibhav Kumar was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding his involvement in the Delhi excise policy case. 

Kejriwal Remains Silent

Earlier in the day, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal refused to comment on the Swati Maliwal 'assault' at a joint press conference where Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav said there were "more important things" to discuss. AAP leader Sanjay Singh, also present at the press conference, said there should be no politics on the issue. He then targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and raised the issue of a Manipuri woman being paraded naked, the Prajwal Revanna sex scandal, and Maliwal being 'beaten' up by police during protests by wrestlers when she was the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief.

When Kejriwal was asked a question over the alleged assault of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Maliwal, Yadav took the microphone, and said, "There are more important things than that". He then unfolded a piece of paper and said, "BJP people are not with anyone, it is a 'gang' that lodges false cases".

Sanjay Singh then took the microphone from the SP chief, and said the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should answer for atrocities against women during the party rule. 

"The entire country is sad till date that the wife of a Kargil veteran was paraded naked in Manipur and the PM of India remained silent. Prajwal Revanna raped thousands of women and he was allowed to flee from the country by the BJP," he alleged.

"When the female wrestlers were protesting at Jantar Mantar, Swati Maliwal went there as DCW chief. She was dragged and beaten by the police. In UP, in the case of Kuldeep Singh Sengar and Hathras, the PM of India has remained quiet and not said a word," he said.

Maliwal had alleged that the Delhi Chief Minister's assistant Bibhav Kumar "misbehaved" with her at his residence. Singh, who had met Maliwal at her residence on Wednesday, said, “The AAP is our family. Party has made its view clear. I want that BJP and PM should also answer on the issues I have kept before you. He (PM) should answer on the issue of Swati Maliwal, who was dragged and beaten when she went to seek justice for the female wrestlers. I just want to say don't play political games on the issues.”