Parvesh Verma slap row: Delhi High Court seeks response from police, minister

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the response of the city police and PWD Minister Parvesh Verma on a plea seeking an independent probe into the incident where the leader allegedly slapped an AAP worker.

Justice Sachin Datta issued a notice on the petition and asked the police to file a status report.

The court also asked Verma to file his reply to the plea.


During the brief hearing, the counsel for the police raised objection to the maintainability of the petition, which also sought police protection for petitioner Sahib Singh and his family members.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on November 17.

Read more: Delhi Police receives complaint against Pervesh Verma over slap incident: Sources

Verma, who is the Public Works Department (PWD) minister of Delhi, had allegedly slapped a man during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar on September 27.

Sahib Singh, the person whom the minister allegedly slapped, claims to be an associate of Tilak Nagar AAP MLA Jarnail Singh. He claimed that he handles the AAP MLA's social media accounts.

The petitioner sought protection of his life and liberty, preservation of CCTV and electronic evidence and an independent investigation into his allegations of assault, threats and police inaction.

Read more: ‘MLA Jarnail Singh sought commission’: Parvesh Verma hits back as AAP demands minister’s arrest over slap video

He claimed that he submitted a detailed complaint to the police commissioner on September 29, setting out the details and seeking fair and impartial investigation, legal action and protection for himself and his family.

"In view of the continued threats to the petitioner and his family, the acts concerning the conduct of police personnel and the apprehension regarding independence of investigation by the local police, the petitioner has been constrained to approach this court seeking protection of his life and liberty....," the plea said.

The plea submitted that on the day of incident, the petitioner was recording the proceedings on his mobile phone when Verma allegedly became agitated over questions concerning the quality of road construction and allegations of corruption.

The petitioner alleged that he was slapped, abused and threatened, after which his mobile phone containing the video recordings was forcibly snatched and damaged.

He said the incident was recorded and streamed on social-media platforms and that he approached the SHO of Vikas Puri police station with his complaint the same day.

Making allegations over the conduct of police personnel, the petitioner claimed that while a member of Verma's security team pushed him and assisted the minister in leaving the spot, the police officials present there did not intervene.

The petitioner alleged that he has been continuously receiving threats and abusive messages and calls from various numbers and accounts on his mobile and social media.