AAP files graft complaint against PWD Minister Parvesh Verma over Rs 23-cr road project, seeks FIR

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) demanding an FIR against PWD Minister Parvesh Verma for corruption.

AAP Delhi unit President Saurabh Bharadwaj’s complaint alleged corruption in a Rs 23-crore road repair project on Outer Ring Road.

He also said that the party would approach the court if an FIR is not registered against Verma for slapping a civilian three days ago.

“Today, a complaint was filed with the ACB regarding the alleged corruption in the Rs 23 crore tender of the PWD department involving Minister Parvesh Verma. The allegation is that the road was not constructed according to the specified specifications, and when a young man was recording a video of this, Verma snatched his phone and assaulted him,” Bharadwaj told reporters.

He said that for the last three days the party has been demanding an FIR against Verma, but Delhi Police is doing the opposite to intimidate its workers. “We will ultimately go to the courts to get the FIR registered if police fail to do their duty,” Bharadwaj said in a press conference.

The party leader also demanded an independent audit by a road engineering expert agency, like the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), of the road in question, constructed by the PWD, in the Tilak Nagar area.

“It is ultimately corruption inside Verma’s department which our MLA raised. An independent audit should be done of this; we will take up these demands at the ACB office,” Bharadwaj said.

The AAP leader also alleged that the police misbehaved with the party’s women councillors who were protesting against their inaction.

An FIR has been registered against Bharadwaj and AAP’s Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh, and several party workers, for allegedly assaulting a head constable and obstructing him from discharging his duties, the police said on Tuesday. The police have also filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) against Verma, a BJP leader, for slapping 22-year-old Sahib Singh during a road inspection last week when the latter was recording him visiting the area for road inspection.