'Brutal Victim Shaming': Swati Maliwal Seeks To Meet INDIA Bloc Leaders Over AAP Aide Assault Case

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal has made public a letter she wrote to the leaders of INDIA bloc, requesting a meeting to discuss her assault case, involving an aide associated with one of the key members of the alliance.

Bibhav Kumar, a key aide of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose AAP is part of the INDIA bloc, was arrested in May after being accused of assaulting Maliwal at the chief minister’s official residence. A Delhi court last week extended the judicial custody of Kumar till June 22. “Today I have written a letter on this subject to all the big leaders of the INDIA alliance. I have asked for a meeting time with everyone,” Maliwal posted on X.

‘A smear campaign’

In a letter to the NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, which the former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief shared on X, she said that instead of finding support, she was subjected to victim shaming and attacks on her character by the leaders and volunteers of her own party. “A smear campaign was organised in the electronic and social media to undermine my reputation, character and credibility. Due to the lies spread against me, I have been receiving multiple rape and death threats,” Swati wrote.

“Over the past one month, I have encountered first-hand the pain and isolation a survivor faces when she fights for justice. The brutal victim shaming and character assassination I have been subjected to, would discourage other women and girls from speaking up against abuse. I would like to seek your time to discuss this pertinent issue. I await your response for the same,” she added.

Bibhav Kumar was last week produced through video conferencing before the duty metropolitan magistrate, who extended the custody and directed the Delhi Police to produce him on June 22. Earlier on Friday, the court had extended Kumar’s custody by one day after noting that the investigating officer (IO) was not present. Kumar was arrested on May 18.

He was sent to police custody for five days the same day by a magisterial court, which observed that his anticipatory bail plea had become infructuous because of his arrest. On May 24, he was sent to four days judicial custody, following which he was again remanded in police custody for three days. An FIR was registered against Kumar on May 16 under various Indian Penal Code provisions, including those related to criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe and attempt to commit culpable homicide.