Delhi Police on Monday filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) against Delhi Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma after a man accused him of slapping him during an inspection of road repair work in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar area. The NCR was registered under Section 115 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with voluntarily causing hurt, police officials said.
The action followed a complaint by Saheb Singh, who alleged that Verma slapped him while he was recording the inspection on Sunday. A video of the confrontation circulated widely on social media and triggered a political row, with the Aam Aadmi Party demanding action against the BJP minister.
Complaint leads to NCR
According to police, the non-cognisable report was registered on the basis of Singh’s complaint. Since the alleged offence is non-cognisable, registration of an NCR does not automatically allow police to begin an investigation, and permission from a magistrate is required to proceed with a probe.
Police also cannot arrest an accused in a non-cognisable case without a warrant. Earlier on Monday, police had said they were examining the complaint and verifying the circumstances surrounding the incident before the NCR was subsequently registered.
Road inspection sparks row
The confrontation occurred during an inspection of repair work on a stretch of the Outer Ring Road between Janakpuri District Centre Chowk and the Najafgarh Drain. AAP MLA Jarnail Singh, who was present at the site, questioned the quality of the newly laid road surface and was seen in videos pulling out portions of it by hand.
Saheb Singh, who was accompanying the AAP MLA and recording the proceedings, alleged that Verma took exception to him filming the inspection and slapped him. Videos circulating online showed Verma pushing down the hands of the man holding a phone before appearing to strike him, following which people at the site intervened.
Verma defends action
Verma has disputed the version presented by AAP and said the video circulating online did not show the complete context of the confrontation. He alleged that AAP workers had abused his family and said he reacted in the heat of the moment after the remarks were made.
The minister also accused Jarnail Singh of damaging the newly laid road and alleged that the AAP MLA was seeking a “commission” in connection with the project. Jarnail Singh rejected the allegations and maintained that questions were raised because the road surface was of poor quality.
PWD complaints against MLA
Separately, PWD engineers and the contractor involved in the road project have submitted complaints against Jarnail Singh. They alleged that Singh had attempted to forcibly stop the work on September 24 and had illegally demanded money.
The complaints also accused Singh and his associates of damaging the newly laid road and sought action for allegedly obstructing public work and criminal intimidation. The allegations have been denied by Singh, who has maintained that he was highlighting deficiencies in the construction.
AAP demands action
AAP leaders have stepped up pressure on the Delhi government over the incident, demanding stronger action against Verma. Party leaders, including Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj, staged a protest over the episode, while AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal also demanded action against the minister.
The Delhi BJP, meanwhile, described the incident as “unfortunate” while questioning the circumstances that led to the confrontation. The dispute has consequently expanded beyond the alleged assault, with competing allegations over the quality of the road project, obstruction of government work and the conduct of those present during the inspection.