NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday sent AAP MLA Naresh Balyan to seven- day police custody in connection with a case registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA).
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court granted the police’s plea for custody till December 13 to interrogate Balyan regarding an alleged organised crime conspiracy. Special Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh, representing the Delhi Police, argued for 10 days of custody, emphasising the need to uncover a larger criminal network. Balyan was presented before the court following the expiry of his one-day judicial custody in the case.
According to the Delhi Police, Balyan is allegedly linked to a crime syndicate led by gangster Kapil Sangwan. On Thursday, the court sent Balyan to a day’s judicial custody after the arguments on the police plea seeking his remand for interrogation remained inconclusive.
Dwarka court also on Thursday had dismissed the Delhi Police’s application seeking 10 days of custody for Balyan. Additional Sessions Judge Vandana Jain, presiding over the case at Dwarka Court had also rebuked the prosecution for its approach.
“I do not have the power to transfer the case. Show me a precedent where this has been done. What was the need to come here? This is a sheer waste of my time,” Judge Jain had said.
She had granted liberty to the investigating officer (IO) to seek custody before the appropriate MP/MLA court following which the police presented Balyan before the Rouse Avenue Court.
The legislator, who represents the Uttam Nagar constituency, was arrested on December 4 in connection with organized crime allegations.
Recently Balyan had secured bail in a separate extortion case which was registered last year. However, police arrested him again from the premises of Rouse Avenue Court soon after the bail under a fresh FIR registered in August this year, invoking the stringent MCOCA.
The arrest has also sparked a political controversy, with the AAP accusing the BJP of misusing central agencies to target its leaders.