An FIR has been registered against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor from Matiala ward, Ramesh Matiala, for allegedly misbehaving with one of their woman party workers and physically assaulting her with the help of two other party workers.
The action against the AAP councillor was taken following the incident that reportedly took place on May 28. A video of the victim narrating her ordeal has also surfaced on Twitter. In the video, the victim says that Ramesh Matiala called two women party workers and directed them to slap her in front of him.
https://twitter.com/rose_k01/status/1398433869095792643?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAccording to the victim, who is also an Aam Aadmi Party member, she had organised an RT-PCR testing camp with the help of the Delhi government in Matiala. Since she had single-handedly worked to organise this camp, a banner with her picture had been placed there. When Ramesh Matiala went there on the day of the purported incident and saw the banner, he was infuriated.
Irked by the fact that the victim organised the camp without his consent and put her own photo on the banner, Ramesh Matiala called on two women party workers and asked them to slap her in front of him. She claims that she was on a call with an officer of the Delhi Jal board when she was assaulted.
The FIR was registered at Delhi’s Bindapur police station. Sections 323 (causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), and 506 (threatening) of the Indian Penal Code has been invoked against the AAP leader.
“We had received a complaint from their party worker and have also conducted an enquiry before lodging the FIR. Further investigation is underway to ascertain what exactly happened,” DCP (Dwarka district) Santosh Kumar Meena was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.
Ruing that she had quit her job as a regional head to join the Aam Aadmi Party she questioned Arvind Kejriwal “why women are not safe in your Party”?
Meanwhile, the Delhi police said that it will be will be calling the victim in the coming days to record her statement before the magistrate under Section 164 of CrPC before making any arrests.
When contacted, Ramesh Matiala said: “I am not aware about any complaint or FIR. I will comment only after I see this complaint myself.”