A day after Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma allegedly slapped a man during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar, the Delhi Police on Monday filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) under relevant provisions against the BJP leader.
Separately, the police also registered an FIR against AAP MLA Jarnail Singh on a complaint by a PWD assistant engineer alleging criminal intimidation and obstruction of duty.
The police said action under the relevant sections of law had been taken on complaints filed by Sahib Singh, the man allegedly slapped during the incident, and a PWD assistant engineer.
“Some other complaints have also been received regarding the incident, which will be taken up during the course of investigation,” the police said.
An NCR is recorded when information relates to a non-cognisable offence. Unlike in a cognisable case, the police generally require the permission of a magistrate to investigate such an offence.
The action came a day after a video of the incident surfaced on social media and was shared by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), triggering a political controversy.
The incident took place on Sunday during an inspection of road repair work on a stretch of the Outer Ring Road between Janakpuri District Centre Chowk and the Najafgarh Drain.
According to Jarnail Singh, Sahib Singh was his colleague and was recording the inspection when Verma allegedly slapped him. Verma had called him and asked him to point out the damaged portions of the road.
“I peeled the road off like a carpet and showed it to him. Seeing this, the minister became agitated and, in his agitation, slapped our colleague who was recording the video, and then left the spot,” Jarnail said.
Verma denied the allegations and accused AAP workers of obstructing government officials in the discharge of their duties. He claimed that the man had abused his family while he was inspecting the road work.
The Delhi BJP also alleged that the man was a “habitual offender” and had previously been arrested for allegedly assaulting an MCD employee.
In the separate FIR, the PWD assistant engineer alleged that Jarnail Singh, accompanied by his associates, had reached the site on September 24 in an inebriated state and threatened PWD officials.
The complainant further alleged that Jarnail Singh abused the officials with the intention of forcing them to pay illegal money. The FIR was registered on charges of criminal intimidation and obstruction of duty.
