The National Commission For Women has summoned Bibhav Kumar, former Personal Secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Swati Maliwal "assault" case. Kumar has been accused of assaulting former Aam Aadmi Party MP and former Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal at the CM's residence in Delhi.
Issuing a notice against Kumar, the women's panel has asked him to appear before it in-person tomorrow, Friday.
"The National Commission for Women had taken suo moto cognizance of the media post captioned "DCW chief Swati Maliwal accuses Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary of assaulting her", wherein was reported that Ms. Swati Mailwal, RS MP and former DCW chief has alleged that the Pvt. Secretary of Shri Arvind Kejriwal had brutally assaulted her at CM's residence," the notice read.
Meanwhile, former DCW chief Barkha Shukla questioned as to why Maliwal was not coming forward further asking what sort of pressure is she facing. She also took a dig at the purported reports of Kumar accompanying Kejriwal on his Lucknow visit.
"There is a very serious issue because Swati Maliwal herself is a very strong woman. Such behaviour with her at the CM's residence is condemnable. The biggest issue now is why is she not coming forward, what kind of pressure is she facing," she said.
"They earlier said they have removed the secretary (CM's OSD) Vibhav, but today he was seen with Kejriwal in Lucknow. Sanjay Singh says it is their internal matter, but this is not an internal matter, but question of a woman's respect," she added.
Mayawati Slams AAP
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party over the issue saying that Rajya Sabha chairman and women's commission should take proper cognisance of the matter.
"Regarding safety, respect and harassment of women as well as strict action against any wrongdoing by any leader, be it any party or I.N.D.I.A or any other alliance, they should not adopt double standards," she said in a social media post on X.