Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s parents are expected to be questioned by the Delhi Police at his official residence on Thursday morning in connection with the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal, party sources told India Today TV.
A massive political row erupted last week after Maliwal accused Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal’s personal assistant, of assaulting her at the Chief Minister’s residence. Kumar was arrested later.
According to AAP sources, Kejriwal’s parents asked the Delhi Police to visit their son’s residence in the Civil Lines area for questioning at 11:30 am today.
On Wednesday, Kejriwal said that Delhi Police would come and question his “ill” parents on Thursday. According to sources, the police may also question Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal in connection with the Maliwal ‘assault’ case.
The police had sought time to meet Kejriwal’s parents and wife to record their statement at the Chief Minister’s residence, sources added.
Kejriwal, in his first reaction to the Swati Maliwal case, said he expected a fair investigation into the matter. Speaking to news agency PTI, Kejriwal said the matter was currently “sub-judice” and that his comment might affect the proceedings.
“I expect there will be a fair investigation. Justice should be served. There are two versions of the event. Police should investigate both versions fairly and justice should be done,” Kejriwal said.
Maliwal reacted to Kejriwal’s recent remarks and said that “irony died a thousand deaths”.
“After unleashing the entire army of leaders and volunteers at me, calling me a BJP agent, assassinating my character, leaking edited videos, victim shaming me, roaming around with the accused, letting him re-enter the crime scene and tamper evidence and protesting in favour of the accused, the Chief Minister, in whose drawing room I was beaten up, has finally said that he wants free and fair investigation in the matter. Irony died a thousand deaths. I don’t buy this one bit,” she tweeted.
Maliwal has alleged that she was brutally assaulted by Kumar at Kejriwal’s residence on May 13 and that he did not stop even after she mentioned that she was on her period. After the assault, she claimed her arms were sore and she had difficulty walking.
Asked whether he was present at his residence at the time of the incident, Kejriwal said he was there. “But I was not present at the scene,” he added.
On May 18, Kumar was arrested by the Delhi Police after registering an FIR against him on a complaint by Maliwal. A day later, he was sent to five days of judicial custody.