New Delhi: The political dispute over a slap during a Delhi road inspection has escalated into separate police cases, with an NCR filed against Minister Parvesh Verma and an FIR registered against AAP MLA Jarnail Singh.

Delhi Police has filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) against Delhi Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma following a complaint over an incident during a road inspection in west Delhi's Tilak Nagar on Sunday.

The complaint was filed by a man identified as Sahib Singh, who alleged that Verma slapped him during the inspection. Police registered the NCR under Section 115 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for voluntarily causing hurt.

The incident took place while Verma was inspecting repair work on a stretch of the Outer Ring Road. Singh reportedly pulled out portions of the newly laid road surface with his hand, allegedly to demonstrate what he claimed was poor construction quality.

A video showing Verma slapping the man subsequently circulated on social media, triggering a political dispute.

Verma has defended his actions, alleging that AAP workers were attempting to obstruct government officials during the inspection. He also alleged that the man involved was associated with the AAP and had a previous criminal case. These allegations remain claims made by Verma.

FIR against AAP MLA Jarnail Singh

Separately, the Delhi government's Public Works Department filed a complaint against AAP MLA Jarnail Singh, alleging that he obstructed officials while they were carrying out their duties during the same road inspection.

Police subsequently registered an FIR against Singh over allegations of obstructing government work and intimidating and threatening PWD officials.

PWD engineers have alleged that Singh and people accompanying him interfered with government personnel during the inspection. Police are examining the allegations and may take further action based on the inquiry.

Singh had been questioning the quality of the newly laid road and alleged that the work was substandard.

What is an NCR and how is it different from an FIR?

The NCR against Verma does not automatically lead to a police investigation. In a non-cognisable case, police generally require an order from a magistrate to investigate, and they cannot arrest a person without a warrant.

An FIR, by contrast, formally records information relating to a cognisable offence and allows police to investigate according to the applicable law.

The two cases therefore have different procedural positions even though they stem from the same road-inspection episode.

The dispute began with allegations over the quality of road work. What started as a confrontation at an inspection site escalated after the slap video circulated online and both sides subsequently approached the police.

The incident has resulted in complaints involving both political camps. The complaint against Verma concerns the alleged assault on Sahib Singh, while the case against Singh concerns alleged obstruction and intimidation of PWD officials.

The competing allegations are now subject to the relevant police and legal processes.