Delhi court permits Swati Maliwal to travel abroad from Nov 2 to 15

New Delhi: A court here on Tuesday permitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal to attend the UN Assembly session in New York and meet her sister in the United States.

The Rouse Avenue Court permitted Maliwal, the former Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and accused in the DCW recruitment ‘irregularities' case, to travel abroad from November 2 to 15, 2024.

In her application filed before the court, Maliwal stated that she intended to attend the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York from November 4 to 8 and thereafter, she will travel to Michigan to visit her ill sister from November 11 to 15.

Maliwal and three others allegedly misused their official position and gained monetary benefits by illegally appointing people, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers, to the DCW between August 6, 2015, to August 1, 2016.

The case was registered after BJP leader and former chairperson of DCW Barkha Shukla Singh filed a complaint to the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) in 2016.

Initially, an inquiry took place on the basis of the filed complaint and an FIR was registered later.

It has been claimed by the prosecution that by appointing AAP workers and acquaintances to different posts of the women's rights body without following due process, the legitimate rights of deserving candidates were violated.

Between August 6, 2015, to August 1, 2016, a total of 87 appointments -- at least 20 persons associated with the AAP -- were made in DCW out of which 71 persons were appointed on a contractual basis and 16 persons for 'Dial 181', the prosecution had claimed.

Rouse Avenue Court had framed charges against Maliwal, Promila Gupta, Sarika Chaudhary and Farheen Malick for criminal conspiracy under section 120B of the Indian Penal Code and for other offences under sections 13(1)(d), 13(1)(2) and 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act.

It had ruled that the prima facie charge under section 13(1)(d) of the PC Act would still be made out against the accused persons as it receives funds from the government even if assuming that DCW is an autonomous body.