On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal claimed that she received a call from a senior party leader who revealed a plot to tarnish her reputation by leaking personal photos. In a tweet, Maliwal alleged that there is immense pressure on party members to speak negatively about her and that those who support her are being threatened with expulsion. She described an orchestrated effort involving press conferences, tweets, and fake sting operations to discredit her.
कल पार्टी के एक बड़े नेता का फोन आया। उसने बताया कैसे सब पर बहुत ज़्यादा दबाव है, स्वाति के ख़िलाफ़ गंदी बातें बोलनी हैं, उसकी पर्सनल फ़ोटोज़ लीक करके उसे तोड़ना है। ये बोला जा रहा है कि जो उसको सपोर्ट करेगा उसको पार्टी से निकाल देंगे। किसी को PC करने की और किसी को ट्वीट्स करने…
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 22, 2024
Swati Maliwal asserted that while the party may mobilize against her, she remains steadfast, relying on the truth. “I am not angry with them; the accused is a very powerful man. Even the biggest leaders are afraid of him. No one has the courage to take a stand against him. I don’t expect anything from anyone. I feel sad that the woman minister of Delhi is smilingly maligning the character of an old female colleague of the party,” she added. She vowed to continue her fight for self-respect and justice despite being alone in her struggle.
In related news, Delhi Police brought back Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, from Mumbai on Wednesday. Kumar is accused in the alleged assault case involving Maliwal. He was taken to Mumbai on Tuesday to recover data from his phone, which police suspect was formatted before his arrest. Kumar remains in five-day police custody, during which his phone, laptop, and CCTV footage from Kejriwal’s residence are being examined for evidence. His custody is set to end on Thursday, prompting officials to expedite the evidence-gathering process.