NEW DELHI: In a dramatic sequence of legal events, AAP MLA Naresh Balyan was granted bail in an extortion case by a Delhi court on Wednesday, only to be soon arrested in connection with a separate case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Balyan was first arrested on November 30 by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in an extortion case linked to an alleged audio clip of a conversation between him and notorious gangster Kapil Sangwan.
The court had set AAP MLA Naresh Balyan’s bail at ₹50,000 with a like surety after rejecting the Delhi Police's request for his 14-day judicial custody. However, Balyan’s relief was short-lived as sources confirmed his re-arrest under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in connection with a fresh case registered earlier this year.
The Crime Branch is expected to present Balyan before the Dwarka Court on Thursday, seeking his custody for further questioning in the MCOCA case. This development follows Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Paras Dalal of the Rouse Avenue Court dismissing an earlier plea to invoke MCOCA as “unmaintainable,” stating, “Whichever agency wants can arrest him [Balyan] as per the law.”
Balyan’s initial arrest stemmed from an extortion case filed by Gurcharan, a resident of Mohan Garden in West Delhi. Gurcharan alleged that gangster Kapil Sangwan had demanded ₹1 crore, threatening severe consequences if the money was not paid. Investigations revealed that Sangwan was operating from abroad. On Tuesday, the court extended Balyan’s police custody by a day in the extortion case.
The arrest has ignited a political controversy, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the BJP of orchestrating a vendetta, while BJP leaders allege Balyan's involvement with gangsters. AAP claimed the arrest was aimed at silencing its leader Arvind Kejriwal, who has been vocal about law and order issues in Delhi. The party further stated that Balyan had received threats from gangsters and filed five written complaints between 2022 and 2023, yet no action was taken against the criminals. Instead, false cases have been fabricated against him, the AAP alleged.
Meanwhile, the BJP said that Balyan’s arrest exposed his alleged collusion with criminal networks, accusing the AAP of shielding its leaders under the pretence of political victimization.
The AAP also condemned the re-arrest under MCOCA, calling it a misuse of terrorism laws against opposition leaders. “As soon as the court granted him bail, BJP’s agencies invoked MCOCA again. This is a clear misuse of power. We are consulting our legal team and will take appropriate action,” the party stated.
While the AAP termed the actions as politically motivated, the Crime Branch defended the arrest, claiming it was part of a larger crackdown on organized crime in the capital. The case has intensified the debate over Delhi’s law and order situation and raised concerns about the potential politicization of police investigations.