AAP MLA booked for 'beating' DJB engineer

An AAP MLA was booked on Thursday for allegedly beating a Delhi Jal Board officer after a fracas over the “inauguration” of a tube-well, at Devli in south-east Delhi.

The accused MLA, Prakash Jarwal, however, alleged that the official was demanding a bribe and complained against him for kicking a woman and refusing to start the tube-well.

On May 13, Jarwal had led a massive protest at the BRT corridor for water crisis in his constituency and demanded installation of a tube-well in his area which led to a six-hour-long traffic jam.

The DJB said the MLA and his supporters have beaten up Junior Engineer Arun Kumar over the issue of inauguration of the tube-well.

“One of the associates of the MLA called up the JE who was supervising the installation of the tube-well and asked him to stop the work and wait for the MLA for inauguration of the tube-well. The MLA and his associates arrived at the spot and slapped the officer for not stopping the work for inauguration function,” the DJB said in a statement.

Following a complaint of Kumar, an FIR was lodged against Jarwal and his supporters. Jarwal, however, claimed that the JE and other officials were demanding a bribe from the residents. 

He claimed that the inauguration was not an issue and accused the officer of misbehaving with him.

“After receiving complaints against the officials for demanding money, I called the senior DJB officials and they ensured that none of their officers will demand a bribe and the tube-well will start soon. When I reached the spot, the JE refused to start the tube-well and started yelling at me when I asked for the reason behind the delay,” Jarwal told Deccan Herald.