Slap row: 3 AAP leaders booked for cop ‘assault’

Delhi Police on Tuesday filed a case against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh and party worker Saheb Singh -- who was slapped on Sunday by Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma -- among others for allegedly assaulting a head constable during a demonstration in Tilak Nagar on Monday evening, officials said

Delhi Police on Tuesday filed a case against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh and party worker Saheb Singh -- who was slapped on Sunday by Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma -- among others for allegedly assaulting a head constable during a demonstration in Tilak Nagar on Monday evening, officials said.

Based on a complaint by the head constable, who alleged that he was assaulted by the AAP leaders, police registered a case on charges of assault and obstruction of duty, officials said.

The incident, which was captured on camera by bystanders, took place as Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh, Saheb Singh and other AAP leaders and workers were walking towards Tilak Nagar police station to file a complaint over Sunday’s incident. A man in a green T-shirt, whom police identified as a head constable in plainclothes, can be seen walking ahead of the group before being roughed up by some of the AAP leaders. The video loses track of the policeman and the group for several seconds as the camera shakes.

Based on a complaint by the head constable, who alleged that he was assaulted by the AAP leaders, police registered a case on charges of assault and obstruction of duty, officials said.

The incident occurred on Monday when former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Tilak Nagar to demand an FIR against Verma for slapping Saheb Singh, who works with Jarnail Singh’s social media team.

Bharadwaj alleged that the police official in question had been “planted” to create a disturbance. “This man along with another few entered our crowd, behaved like goons and started hurling casteist abuses to our councillor. They were physically assaulting our people without any provocation. We handed them to police. We have all the videos. Does he look like a policeman?” he posted on X.

He further alleged that the men were “planted by police to create riot-like situation” and claimed they were part of a conspiracy to create communal tensions.

On Monday, Delhi Police had lodged a non-cognisable report (NCR) against Verma on charges of causing hurt for allegedly slapping Saheb Singh. Police also registered an FIR against Jarnail Singh based on a complaint by a PWD official, who alleged that the MLA had visited a roadwork site on September 24, tried to forcefully stop the work and “illegally demanded money”.

Sunday’s incident took place while Verma was inspecting roadworks in west Delhi’s Vikaspuri. The AAP alleged that the incident followed questions over the quality of road construction, while Verma said he reacted after AAP workers allegedly abused his family.

On Tuesday afternoon, Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh and other AAP leaders and workers were detained briefly by policenear Delhi Police headquarters, where they had gathered to demand an FIR against Verma. “The police only want to listen to BJP ministers and give them security. For us, there are only detentions,” Bharadwaj said.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor termed the protest by AAP leaders an attempt by Bharadwaj to “divert the attention of people” from the “questionable record” of Jarnail Singh.