Maliwal case: CCTV digital video recorder seized from Kejriwal's home

A Delhi police team reached the official residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here on Sunday in connection with its investigation into the alleged assault on Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, sources said.

They said the police team collected electronic devices including CCTV DVR (digital video recorder) to potentially get the footage of the alleged assault on Maliwal on May 13 when Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's close aide, allegedly attacked her at the CM's residence.

Maliwal has alleged that the CCTV footage of the CM's residence was being tampered with.

Kumar was arrested on Saturday and produced in a court which remanded him in five-day police custody.

The sources said Kumar is evasive in his replies during his interrogation.

The Delhi Police booked Kumar for molestation and attempted culpable homicide after Maliwal's complaint.

The FIR includes charges under Sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354(B) (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code at the Civil Lines police station.

Reacting to the seizure of the CCTV digital video recorder, AAP on Sunday said the Delhi police seized the DVR of CCTV cameras installed inside Kejriwal's residence in connection with its probe into the "assault" on Maliwal and accused the investigators of planting stories to tarnish the party's image ahead of the elections.

There was no immediate reaction from the Delhi Police.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the police have already seized the DVR (digital video recorder) of CCTV cameras.

"Yesterday (Saturday), they seized the DVR of cameras installed at the entry gates, boundary walls and today (Sunday), they seized the DVR of cameras installed in other parts of the house. The police are planting stories that the CCTV (camera) footage has been deleted but they have already seized it," he claimed.

Bharadwaj said the CCTV cameras and the footage captured are maintained by the public works department and are in its custody.

He also raised questions over the sequence of events in the case.

"The call was made by Swati Maliwal on May 13 and, within no time, the image of the daily diary entry into the matter was all over the media. The FIR in the case has been registered under Section 354 (B), which is a sensitive matter that pertains to a woman, but the FIR was circulated everywhere. However, Bibhav Kumar, the accused, and AAP did not have a copy of the FIR," he added.

The Delhi police booked Kumar for molestation and attempted culpable homicide after Maliwal's complaint.

Bharadwaj also responded to allegations that the CCTV camera footage has been deleted.

"The incident happened in the drawing room. One usually does not install cameras there. I have never seen a CCTV camera. When a camera is not there, how can its footage be deleted? The police have everything with them and if they would have seen anything they would have shared it with the media," the Delhi minister said.

"The police are planting stories at the behest of the BJP to tarnish the image of AAP before the elections," he alleged.

Polling for Delhi's seven Lok Sabha seats will be held on May 25.