New Delhi [India], September 30 (ANI): AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Wednesday that he would approach the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) over alleged corruption in the construction of roads under the Public Works Department (PWD), days after a road inspection in west Delhi triggered a political and legal row involving Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma and an AAP MLA's aide.
In a post on X, Bharadwaj said, "Today we will go to the ACB office to file a complaint in case of corruption in the construction of PWD roads."
The AAP leader also referred to the confrontation between Verma and 22-year-old Sahib Singh during a road inspection, alleging that the minister took away Singh's mobile phone when he was recording the proceedings.
"Everyone saw how Minister Parvesh Verma snatched the mobile phone of 22 yr old GenZ who was making his video. The video was evidence of corruption and Minister’s reaction on the alleged corruption. It is clear case of destruction of evidence by a public servant," Bharadwaj said.
The controversy began during an inspection of road construction work in west Delhi, where Verma and AAP MLA Jarnail Singh were involved in a heated exchange over the quality of the road.
According to video footage, Singh questioned the quality of the newly laid road and demonstrated his allegation by pulling up a portion of the road surface. During the subsequent exchange, Sahib Singh, who works with Jarnail Singh, was recording the interaction on his mobile phone.
Singh later told ANI that he was livestreaming the conversation between Jarnail Singh and Verma when the minister intervened.
"At that time, I was live-streaming the conversation between Jarnail Singh and Parvesh Verma. To stop the ongoing live stream, Parvesh Verma snatched the phone from my hand, raised his hand at me and slapped me," Singh said.
The incident was captured on video and subsequently triggered a political confrontation between the AAP and the BJP-led Delhi government.
Verma has given a different account of the confrontation, saying he reacted after allegations that people accompanying the AAP MLA had abused his family. The competing accounts of what led to the physical confrontation are part of the ongoing dispute.
Delhi Police subsequently registered a non-cognisable report against Verma under Section 115 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in connection with the alleged assault on Sahib Singh. Police also registered a separate FIR based on a complaint by a PWD assistant engineer concerning the conduct of AAP MLA Jarnail Singh and others during the road inspection.
According to the PWD complaint, Jarnail Singh and others allegedly attempted to stop road work and made allegations concerning the contractor. The AAP has rejected the allegations and has instead accused the government of trying to divert attention from questions over road quality.
Bharadwaj's latest announcement shifts the focus of the dispute towards the alleged quality of PWD road construction and possible corruption. The ACB complaint, once filed, is expected to set out the specific allegations and road projects cited by the AAP. (ANI)
Saurabh Bharadwaj says AAP will approach ACB over alleged PWD road corruption
