New Delhi/IBNS: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal was harassed by party supremo Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant as he "misbehaved" with her at the Delhi Chief Minister's city residence, party leader Sanjay Singh said Tuesday, a day after unconfirmed reports said she had been assaulted by the staffer in question.

Singh called the incident "highly condemnable" and said Kejriwal, who has been on the end of receiving flak from rivals BJP since the news broke, "will take strict action".

"A very distressing incident took place yesterday morning. Arvind Kejriwal had called Swati Maliwal for a meeting. She was waiting in the drawing room to meet him when Bibhav Kumar came in and misbehaved with her. After this, Ms Maliwal called the police and told them what happened," Singh said.

"This is a condemnable incident. Arvind Kejriwal has taken cognisance and has said the strictest possible action should be taken..." Singh told reporters, "Swati Maliwal has done great work for the people and country, and is one of the party's oldest and senior-most leaders. We stand with her and will deal with this issue seriously, as per Mr Kejriwal's order. The AAP does not support such behavior."

Maliwal has not yet commented on the incident.

"Yesterday, (Swati) Maliwal went to meet Arvind Kejriwal at his residence. While she was waiting, in the drawing room, Bibhav Kumar (the Chief Minister's PA) misbehaved with her. This is a highly condemnable incident. Mr Kejriwal has taken cognisance and will take strict action..." Singh said.

Singh's statement has been attacked swiftly by the BJP. The party's Delhi boss, Virendra Sachdeva, said, "Why were they silent for 36 hours? Where was the Chief Minister? A Rajya Sabha MP... that too a woman... was misbehaved with at Mr Kejriwal's home and you are taking cognisance only now?"

The political heat in the national capital Delhi further soared after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal alleged she was assaulted by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's PA, Bibhav Kumar.

The Delhi Police on Monday reportedly received two phone calls from Kejriwal's residence alleging an assault on Maliwal.

Maliwal, the former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson, went to Civil Lines Police Station but didn't file a complaint.

Who is Kejriwal's PA Bibhav Kumar?

Prior to this fresh allegation, Bibhav Kumar was under the ED scanner in the liquor policy scam case and the financial irregularities in Delhi Jal Board.

Bibhav was quizzed by the ED last month. He was questioned to give some clarity in the excise policy case.

In March, he was sacked as the Personal Secretary to Delhi Chief Minister by the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) which termed his appointment as "illegal".

In a case dated way back to 2007, he was also accused of obstructing a public servant from discharging his duties through "assault and use of criminal force".