New Delhi [India], September 29 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi President Saurabh Bhardwaj has written to the Delhi Police Commissioner seeking registration of an FIR against Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma, his associates and several police personnel, including Station House Officer (SHO) Ghanshyam Kishore and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Nirmal, alleging assault, destruction of evidence, death threats, molestation of women protesters and illegal detention.
In his complaint dated September 29, Bhardwaj alleged that Verma assaulted 22-year-old Sahib Singh and snatched his mobile phone while Singh was recording an incident related to alleged irregularities in PWD road construction near Manohar Nagar Gurudwara on September 27.
Bhardwaj alleged that Verma snatched Singh's phone with the intention of destroying digital evidence of the alleged corruption and subsequent confrontation. He further alleged that Verma and his associates intimidated Singh with death threats.
According to the complaint, the entire incident was recorded and live-streamed across social media platforms, including the official social media handle of Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh.
Bhardwaj also alleged that SHO Ghanshyam Kishore and other police personnel were present at the spot and, instead of apprehending Verma, assisted him in leaving the scene.
"The local SHO, Mr. Ghanshyam Kishore, along with several other police officers, was physically present and witnessed this entire criminal act. Instead of apprehending the accused, the policeman assigned to the security of Parvesh Verma physically pushed the victim, Sahib Singh, and actively assisted Parvesh Verma in fleeing the crime scene," the complaint said.
Bhardwaj said he, along with Singh, Jarnail Singh, local residents, councillors and AAP volunteers, later proceeded towards the DCP office to seek registration of an FIR. He alleged that police barricaded their path near the DCP office at around 9:40 pm, following which the group sat down peacefully in protest.
He alleged that around 10 pm, a large police deployment, including Inspectors, SHO Ghanshyam Kishore, ACP Nirmal and paramilitary personnel, arrived and used force against the protesters.
The AAP leader alleged that several male police personnel "intentionally groped and molested" women volunteers, including Sakshi Gupta, who were sitting at the protest site.
He also alleged that police personnel physically assaulted him and choked him by pulling him from different directions.
"Multiple police officers and senior officials grabbed me by my shirt collar from my behind and began violently pulling me from different directions. I was intentionally choked at the neck, cutting off my air supply until I fainted. My life was saved only because some female volunteers quickly broke the buttons of my shirt to restore my breathing," Bhardwaj alleged in the complaint.
Bhardwaj further alleged that women protesters were detained by male police personnel after sunset and taken to Jafarpur Kalan Police Station, where they were allegedly held until past midnight.
He cited Section 46(4) of the CrPC and Section 43(6) of the BNSS, alleging that the detention and transit of women by male police personnel late at night violated legal safeguards.
"The entire sequence of events both the afternoon assault by the Minister and the late-night police brutality has been extensively video-recorded," the complaint said, adding that Bhardwaj was ready to provide complete, unedited footage to the investigating agency.
He also alleged that police denied a request for medical examination and said the incident could still be verified through medical examination.
Bhardwaj has sought registration of an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Verma and his associates, as well as SHO Ghanshyam Kishore, ACP Nirmal and other police and paramilitary personnel allegedly involved in the incidents.
"A swift and transparent investigation is required to uphold the rule of law and ensure that the police officers responsible for these criminal acts are brought to justice," the complaint said.
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The complaint comes amid a political row over an alleged slapping incident involving Verma during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar on September 27. A purported video of the incident had been shared by AAP leaders, showing Verma allegedly slapping Singh during a confrontation over the quality of a newly constructed road.
Speaking to ANI before his detention during an AAP protest outside Vikaspuri Police Station, Bhardwaj had alleged that Verma attacked the cameraman after AAP MLA Jarnail Singh demonstrated the poor quality of the road.
"When Jarnail Singh—in the presence of Minister Parvesh Verma and the camera—demonstrated the poor quality of the road by breaking off a piece with his hands to expose the corruption and embezzlement of funds in road construction, Parvesh Verma flew into a rage. He attacked the cameraman, snatched his phone, slapped him, and attempted to destroy the evidence of corruption; when the young man lunged back towards him, he fled in fear and hid behind the police," Bhardwaj had said.
"Two days have passed, yet no FIR has been registered against Parvesh Verma. Instead, an FIR has been filed against Jarnail Singh. This shows that the BJP fears people in every street and neighbourhood will expose their corruption by simply picking apart these roads with their hands; that is why these FIRs are being filed. However, this movement will not stop now, and we will remain seated right here until an FIR is registered," he had said.
Meanwhile, Sahib Singh, who alleged that Verma slapped him during the road inspection, had claimed that the minister snatched his phone, twisted his arm and assaulted him after the condition of the road was highlighted. Singh also alleged that police accepted his complaint but did not register an FIR against Verma.
Delhi Police has since registered a non-cognisable report against Verma under Section 115 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in connection with the alleged slapping incident, while an FIR was registered against AAP MLA Jarnail Singh following a complaint by PWD engineers. Police said multiple complaints related to the incident were being examined.
The row has also drawn a response from Verma and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, with both sides making allegations over the road inspection and the confrontation.