Details of the FIR filed by Delhi Police following a complaint by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal against Bibhav Kumar, the personal secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, have revealed disturbing allegations of assault.
Maliwal has accused Bibhav Kumar of physically assaulting her on May 13 at the Chief Minister’s Civil Lines residence. According to the FIR, Maliwal claimed that Kumar “slapped” her “at least seven to eight times,” “brutally dragged” her, and “kicked” her in the “chest, stomach, and pelvis area” while she “continued screaming.”
Maliwal recorded her statement before the magistrate in Tis Hazari court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The FIR provides a detailed account of the alleged incident:
“I went inside the camp office and called CM’s PS Bibhav Kumar but I could not go in. I then sent a message on his mobile number (through WhatsApp). However, there was no response. I then went inside the residential area through the main door as I have always done in the past year since Bibhav Kumar was not present I entered the residence area and informed the staff present there to tell the CM here to meet him,” the FIR reads.
“I was informed that he was present in the house and I was told to wait in the drawing room. I went in the drawing room and sat on the sofa and was waiting for him to meet me,” Maliwal said.
“One of the staff members came and told me that CM was coming to meet me and suddenly, the PS of CM, Bibhav Kumar barged into the room. He started screaming without any provocation and even started abusing me. I was stunned by this….and I reacted by telling him to stop talking to me like this and to call the CM.”
“He then abused me and asked who are you to not listen to what I say. While saying these words, he came and stood right in front of me. Without any provocation whatsoever on my side, he started slapping me with full force. He slapped me seven to eight times at least while I continued screaming. I felt absolutely shocked and was screaming for help over and over again. In order to protect myself I pushed him away with my legs,” she said.
“At that time, he pounced on me, brutally dragged me and deliberately pulled my shirt up. My shirt buttons opened and my shirt flew up. I landed on the floor while hitting my head on the centre table. I was constantly screaming for help but no one came. After that, Bibhav Kumar did not relent and attacked me by kicking me in my chest, stomach and pelvis area with his legs. I was in extreme pain and kept telling him to stop. My shirt was coming up but he still continued to assault me,” the AAP MP said.
“I repeatedly told him that I was on my period and that he should please let go of me as I was in unbearable pain. However, he attacked me with full force again and again. I somehow managed to get free. I then sat on the sofa of the drawing room and gathered my spectacles that had fallen on the ground during the assault. I was in a terrible state of shock at this attack. I was deeply traumatised and called the 112 number and reported the crime against me,” Maliwal detailed.
“Bibhav threatened me and said ‘Do what you want, you can’t do anything. We will break all your bones and bury you in a place that no one will get to know.’ Then when he realized that I had called the 112 number he went out of the room.”
“Bibhav returned with the security personnel working at the main gate of the CM camp offices. They came and asked me to leave at the behest of Bibhav. I kept telling them that I was brutally beaten up and they should look at my condition and wait until the PCR police comes. However, they asked me to leave the premises. I was taken outside the CM residence and I sat briefly on the floor outside as I was in deep pain. The PCR police came but I was completely dazed and left by walking towards my previous residence in Civil Lines,” Maliwal said.
“I was crying and somehow reached my earlier residence. I sat on the ground there for sometime and some police personnel who had accompanied me from the CM house called me an auto on my request. I sat in it and started going towards my house as I was in terrible pain and was traumatised and shattered. Somehow I mustered the strength and asked the auto to head back and went to Police Station at Civil Lines to report the matter,” she said.
“I reached and sat in the SHO room and I was crying and informed the SHO about the incident. I was in terrible pain and having severe cramps. I also started receiving a lot of calls from media on my mobile. Due to extreme trauma, pain and not wanting to politicize the incident, I left the Police Station without filing a written complaint. My head was splitting in pain and my arms legs and were aching terribly due to the assault,” Maliwal said.
“The past few days since the incident have been extremely painful for me. It is one of the most difficult times of my life. The pain, trauma and harassment has been mind-numbing. My head and neck has been hurting constantly since the attack. My arms are very sore and my abdomen is also paining. I am also having difficulty in walking. My situation is exacerbated by the fact that having worked all my life for women’s issues and having helped lakhs of women get justice, I ended up being brutally beaten by a person whom I had known for long. I am deeply disturbed by this incident and am distraught that someone could display such goonda behavior. I feel totally shattered,” she said.
“It has taken me three days to gather myself and report the matter through a written complaint. I request you to kindly take strongest possible action in the matter. I am shocked that this brutal attack happened to me completely unprovoked at CM residence,” Maliwal said.
The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
