Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman has slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over claims that Swati Maliwal was in touch with the BJP amid the Rajya Sabha MP's alleged assault case. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Sitharaman asked, "If she’s a mole, why did you send her to Rajya Sabha?"

The Union Minister said, "“An MP is saying 'I’ve been thrashed by the Chief Minister's secretary in the Chief Minister’s house', while the Chief Minister was present."

“If she was a mole, and she’s not one, would you beat her? This is a complete hooligan gang," she added.

Sitharaman's remarks came a week after AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi claimed that Maliwal was in touch with the BJP, and they were involved in the creating the conspiracy surrounding the alleged assault case.

At a press conference, Atishi said that the Rajya Sabha MP was acting at the behest of the BJP to falsely implicate Arvind Kejriwal's former personal secretary Bibhav Kumar, who Maliwal had accused of assaulting her on May 13 in the Chief Minister's residence.

She also said that the BJP is perhaps threatening Swati Maliwal with some kind of action as she is accused of illegal recruitment in Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

During the India Today interview, Nirmala Sitharaman also said that Kejriwal went to jail in the corruption case, and it was not the BJP that sent him to prison.

"It does not matter whose government will be formed, the court's order is that he will have to go to jail after June 1," she added.

Source: India Today