Bibhav Kumar, the personal secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, purportedly inflicted grievous physical harm on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, allegedly assaulting her repeatedly despite her cries for help, according to an FIR lodged by the Delhi Police following Maliwal’s complaint.
The MP asserted that Kumar “struck” her “no less than seven to eight times” as she vociferously cried out. Additionally, she accused him of “savagely dragging” her and “kicking her in the chest, abdomen, and pelvic region.”
Details of the alleged onslaught on Maliwal emerged on Friday when she appeared before a magistrate to give her testimony under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure at Tis Hazari Court in the nation’s capital.
The episode purportedly took place on May 13 at the official domicile of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, as per the FIR by the Delhi Police. Maliwal narrated the sequence of events, stating that upon reaching Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence, she attempted to contact his personal secretary, Bibhav Kumar, but received no response. Consequently, she entered through the main entrance as she had done previously.
“I was informed that he (Kejriwal) was within the premises and was asked to wait in the drawing room. I complied and seated myself on the sofa, anticipating his arrival,” the FIR mentions.
The FIR further details that a staff member informed Maliwal that the Chief Minister was en route to meet her. Abruptly, Bibhav Kumar stormed into the room, launching into a tirade of abuse and profanity without any provocation, leaving her stunned. She requested him to cease and summon the Chief Minister.
“He then verbally assaulted me, questioning my authority to ignore his commands. Without any incitement on my part, he commenced striking me with considerable force, slapping me seven to eight times at minimum as I continued to scream. I was utterly shocked and continuously yelled for help. In an attempt to defend myself, I pushed him away with my legs,” Maliwal recounted.
Maliwal’s recollection included harrowing details of how Bibhav Kumar seized her forcefully, savagely dragged her, and deliberately disarranged her clothing. She claimed her shirt’s buttons were torn open, and she fell to the floor, striking her head on a table while pleading for assistance to no avail. Kumar’s assault persisted, targeting her chest, abdomen, and pelvic area, inflicting intense pain.
“I was in agonizing pain, pleading with him to stop. My shirt was coming undone, yet he continued his brutal assault,” Maliwal recounted.
“I repeatedly informed him that I was menstruating and implored him to release me as I was in unbearable pain. Nonetheless, he continued his relentless attack. Somehow, I managed to break free. I then sat on the sofa in the drawing room and gathered my spectacles that had fallen during the assault. I was in a state of profound shock and distress. I contacted the emergency number 112 to report the crime against me,” Maliwal stated in her complaint to the Delhi Police.
Maliwal also mentioned in her statement that Bibhav threatened her, saying, “Do whatever you want, you can’t do anything. We will fracture all your bones and bury you in a place where no one will find you.” Upon realizing she had called 112, he exited the room.
Subsequently, Bibhav returned with security personnel from the Chief Minister’s office. They instructed Maliwal to leave because Bibhav demanded it. Despite her pleas that she had been viciously beaten and her request for them to wait for the police, they compelled her to leave. Maliwal sat outside the Chief Minister’s residence for a short while due to the intense pain. When the police arrived, she was too disoriented to speak with them and walked back to her previous residence in Civil Lines.
“I was weeping and somehow reached my previous residence. I sat on the ground for some time, and some police personnel who had accompanied me from the Chief Minister’s house called an auto-rickshaw for me upon my request. I got in and started towards my home, as I was in excruciating pain and was traumatized and shattered. Somehow, I gathered the strength and asked the auto-rickshaw to head back to the Civil Lines Police Station to report the matter,” she said.
Following the incident, Maliwal promptly informed the Station House Officer (SHO) about the assault. Overwhelmed by extreme trauma and physical discomfort, and wary of politicizing the incident, she made the difficult decision to leave the police station without formally lodging a written complaint.
“The past few days since the incident have been extremely painful for me. It is one of the most challenging periods of my life. The pain, trauma, and harassment have been excruciating. My head and neck have been hurting constantly since the attack. My arms are very sore, and my abdomen is also in pain. I am having difficulty walking. My situation is exacerbated by the fact that having dedicated my life to working on women’s issues and helping countless women obtain justice, I ended up being brutally beaten by someone I had known for a long time. I am deeply disturbed by this incident and distraught that someone could exhibit such thug-like behavior. I feel utterly shattered,” she said.
“It has taken me three days to muster the courage to report the matter through a written complaint. I request you to take the strongest possible action in this matter. I am appalled that this brutal attack happened to me without any provocation at the Chief Minister’s residence,” Maliwal stated.
The FIR has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code: Section 308 for attempting to commit culpable homicide, Section 341 for wrongful restraint, Section 354B for assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe a woman, Section 506 for criminal intimidation, and Section 509 for word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.