Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma is at the centre of a political controversy after a video appeared to show him slapping a man during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar, West Delhi, on September 27, 2026.
The incident took place during a heated exchange over the quality of a newly laid road involving Verma and AAP MLA Jarnail Singh, who represents Tilak Nagar. A video of the confrontation was shared by Singh and subsequently circulated widely on social media.
What happened in Tilak Nagar?
The controversy began during an inspection of road construction work in Tilak Nagar. Delhi’s PWD Minister Parvesh Verma had reached the area to inspect the road, while AAP MLA Jarnail Singh also arrived at the site. Singh questioned the quality of the newly laid road and, according to reports, pulled up portions of the road surface with his hands to demonstrate his concerns.
The inspection subsequently turned into a heated argument involving people accompanying both sides. During the confrontation, a young man who was recording the proceedings on his mobile phone became involved in the altercation. Footage from the incident later surfaced on social media.
What does the Parvesh Verma slap video show?
The viral video shows Parvesh Verma standing near the group gathered at the road inspection site. In the footage, Verma appears to pull down the mobile phone of a man who was recording the confrontation with his left hand. He then appears to strike the man across the face with his right hand.
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The man subsequently confronts Verma, while a security personnel moves between them. Several people can be seen around the two men. Voices can also be heard reacting to the apparent slap in the video.
The footage has become the central piece of evidence being cited by AAP leaders in their criticism of the minister.However, the widely circulated clip does not establish everything that happened immediately before the physical confrontation. Verma has specifically argued that the video being circulated does not provide the complete context of the incident.
Who was the man involved in the incident?
The man seen in the video has been identified in media reports as Saheb or Sahib. According to his account reported by The Times of India, he was at the location after being called for the road inspection and was recording the condition of the road when the confrontation occurred. He said he had shown Verma how the road surface was breaking apart before the alleged slap.
Reports also identify him as someone who handles social media activities for Jarnail Singh and had accompanied the AAP MLA during the inspection. His account forms one side of the dispute, while Verma has offered a different explanation for the confrontation.
Why was the road being inspected?
The immediate dispute was over the quality of road construction in the Tilak Nagar area. Jarnail Singh and people accompanying him questioned whether the newly laid road met the required standards. According to reports, Singh demonstrated his concerns by pulling up portions of the road surface with his hands. The incident then escalated into an argument between the AAP MLA’s group and the minister’s team.
The quality of the road is therefore a separate issue from the alleged physical confrontation. Parvesh Verma has said that road work would be independently examined, including through technical testing, to establish whether the construction met the required standards.
What did AAP allege?
AAP leaders have accused Parvesh Verma of assaulting a man who was recording the road inspection. Jarnail Singh shared the video on social media and alleged that the minister lost his temper after the road quality was questioned.
The AAP MLA described the incident as an example of alleged high-handed behaviour by the Delhi government’s PWD minister. AAP leaders have also linked the incident to their broader allegations concerning the quality of road construction.
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Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared the video and called for Verma’s arrest. AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj also criticised Verma over the incident and alleged that the minister acted against the man while surrounded by security personnel.
These are allegations and political claims made by AAP leaders and should be distinguished from independently established facts.
What did Parvesh Verma say?
BJP Minister Parvesh Verma has rejected the version of events presented by AAP and said the viral video does not show the complete context. In his response, the minister alleged that a person accompanying Jarnail Singh had abused his family before the physical confrontation.
Verma said the incident happened in the heat of the moment and argued that the video being circulated by AAP did not show what had happened immediately beforehand. The minister has therefore not disputed that the confrontation occurred, but has challenged the context in which the footage is being presented.
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Parvesh Verma also launched a counterattack against Jarnail Singh. The Delhi PWD minister accused the AAP MLA of seeking a commission from contractors involved in road work.
According to reports quoting Verma’s response, he alleged that Singh had sought introductions to contractors and had pressured officials over the road projects. Verma further alleged that after the alleged demand was not met, questions were repeatedly raised about the quality of roads.
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What did Jarnail Singh say about the road?
Jarnail Singh has maintained that his concern was the quality of the road being constructed in his constituency. During the inspection, he and people accompanying him pointed to portions of the newly laid surface that they said were coming off.
The AAP MLA also shared video footage of the incident on social media, which became the basis for the subsequent political controversy. The separate question of whether the road construction actually violated technical standards would require an independent engineering assessment rather than relying solely on the political claims made by either side.
What has Parvesh Verma said about the road quality?
Parvesh Verma has said that the road work can be independently examined. Reports quoting the minister said the government would use technical methods, including core-cutting tests, to assess the quality of road construction.
Such testing can provide technical evidence about the composition and quality of a road surface. This issue is separate from the controversy surrounding the alleged slap and could potentially be established through an official inspection or engineering report.
Has an FIR been filed?
Reports on Sunday said that an FIR had been lodged, with the legal process expected to be pursued further. Moneycontrol reported Jarnail Singh as saying that an FIR had been filed against Parvesh Verma and that further action would follow.
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What did the man who was allegedly slapped say?
The man identified in media reports as Saheb said that he had been recording the road inspection and had shown the minister the condition of the road. According to his account reported by The Times of India, he said Verma raised his hand against him during the confrontation.
He also alleged that people accompanying Verma threatened him after the incident. Those allegations remain his account of the confrontation..
Bottom line
The Parvesh Verma slap controversy began with a dispute over road construction in Tilak Nagar and escalated into a physical confrontation that was captured on video. The footage appears to show Verma striking a man who was recording the incident. AAP has demanded action against the minister, while Verma has argued that the footage does not show the full context and has alleged that his family was abused before the confrontation.
The allegations made by both political sides should be distinguished from facts independently established through police investigation, official records, additional footage and any technical examination of the road. As the matter develops, the FIR details, police action, additional video evidence and road-quality investigation will be important in establishing the full sequence of events..
