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Arvind Kejriwal, AAP leaders to march to BJP office today amid Swati Maliwal row

Arvind Kejriwal’s planned visit to the BJP headquarters today comes amid the arrest of his aide Bibhav Kumar in connection to the alleged assault of AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the Delhi Chief Minister’s residence on May 13

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal with party candidate Mahabal Mishra during a rally in Uttam Nagar. (PTI Photo)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were detained by the police as they tried to march towards the BJP office in Delhi on Sunday. Heavy security was placed outside the BJP office after Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal gave a call to march to the party office amid the ongoing blame game between the AAP and Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal over her alleged assault.

According to the Delhi Police, the AAP did not seek permission for its mega protest, adding that section 144 has been imposed at the DDU Marg, where the BJP office is located.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar, who was arrested on Saturday in connection to the May 13 assault case, is likely to be taken to the Chief Minister’s residence on Sunday to recreate the crime scene.

On Saturday night, the Tis Hazari Court sent Bibhav Kumar to five-day police custody after the police sought his remand to interrogate him about the alleged assault and to retrieve data from his phone. A Delhi Police team arrested him from the Chief Minister’s residence earlier in the day.

Hours after Kumar’s arrest, Kejriwal, who is out on interim bail till June 2, held a press conference in which he announced his intention to march to the BJP office on Sunday, and dared the “Prime Minister to send anyone he wants to jail”.

“I along with my MLAs and MPs would go to the BJP office at noon tomorrow so that the Prime Minister can send anyone he wants to jail. The AAP is an idea. For as many AAP leaders you jail, the country would produce leaders a hundred times more,” Kejriwal added.

Here are the latest developments:

  • In the wake of the AAP march, the Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory, saying the DDU Marg, where the BJP office is located, “may be closed for traffic movement between 11 am to 2 pm”.

Besides this, the Delhi Metro authority said that the entry and exit at ITO Metro station will remain closed till further notice.

  • Security has been enhanced outside the BJP headquarters. Paramilitary troopers, along with Delhi Police personnel, have been deployed to maintain law and order. Delhi Police have said the AAP leaders will not be allowed to march towards the BJP office as they did not seek prior permission for the protest.
  • On Saturday, amid Bibhav Kumar’s arrest, Arvind Kejriwal attended several public meetings across Delhi on Saturday where he appealed to voters to cast their ballots for AAP during the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi on May 25.

“It’s in your hands. If you want me to go to jail choose the BJP, otherwise choose the AAP. They (BJP) are after us. They arrested Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and me. Today they arrested my PA, now they will arrest Raghav Chadha, Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj,” he added.

  • On Sunday morning, the AAP said in a tweet that the “Prime Minister can arrest whoever he wants” when party leaders will march to the BJP office today under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal.
  • BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed Arvind Kejriwal’s decision to march to the BJP office on Sunday, saying the Chief Minister is doing “emotional atyaachaar (torture)” and questioned his silence on the Swati Maliwal case.
  • Also reacting to Kejriwal’s challenge, Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva questioned his silence on the alleged assault on Swati Maliwal.

“Stop doing this drama. We are asking you just one thing – you did not break your silence even six days after your woman MP was beaten up at your residence… Tell us who is responsible for the misbehaviour with the woman MP. Why have you not broken your silence over it?” the BJP leader questioned.

  • Hours after Bibhav Kumar’s arrest on Saturday, the Delhi Police in its remand paper said the “brutal assault” on Swati Maliwal “could have been fatal”.

“This is a very serious case where a Member of Parliament, a public figure, has been brutally assaulted, which could have been fatal. Despite specific questions, the accused has not cooperated in the investigation and has been evasive in his replies,” the remand paper signed by North District Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Anjitha Chepyala, said.

  • The police said that statements of at least 10 people have been recorded, including staff members and security personnel at the Chief Minister’s residence, who were present at the Chief Minister’s residence at the time of the alleged assault on May 13.

Citing a police officer, PTI news agency reported that Bibhav Kumar was questioned about why he was present at Kejriwal’s residence on Saturday morning prior to his arrest. The police suspect that he went there to tamper with evidence.

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