AAP Legislator Naresh Balyan Placed in 2-Day Police Detention
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New Delhi, Dec 1 (NationPress) A court in the capital has placed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan in two days police detention following an extortion investigation.
Earlier today, the Rouse Avenue Court made a decision regarding the Delhi Police's request for Balyan's custody.
Upon presenting him, the police argued that the AAP representative should be held for five days for questioning.
After considering the arguments, the court chose to reserve its ruling on the police's request for Balyan's custody.
Naresh Balyan, the MLA from Uttam Nagar, was taken into custody on Saturday following the emergence of audio recordings allegedly showing him conversing with gangster Kapil Sangwan, also known as Nandu. These recordings reportedly disclose plans to intimidate and extort funds from builders and other individuals in Delhi.
During a press conference on Saturday, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia labeled Balyan an extortionist and accused AAP officials of collaborating with gangsters to extract protection payments from business owners and builders. He claimed that Balyan's actions were carried out with the full knowledge and approval of AAP supremo and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
BJP leader Kailash Gahlot on Sunday rejected conspiracy theories surrounding Balyan's arrest, asserting that this situation had been known to senior members for the past year.
Gahlot expressed serious concerns about the inaction from AAP's leadership, including Kejriwal, despite their understanding of the situation.
"It would be entirely incorrect to label this a conspiracy, as every senior AAP member has been aware of this for the past year. The pressing question is why no measures were implemented when senior party figures, including the National Convenor, were aware of such incidents. It is troubling that this issue has escalated to this extent," he remarked.
Gahlot criticized AAP's professed principles, stating, "AAP initially emphasized its dedication to three Cs -- Character, Corruption, and Crime. However, when senior members and MLAs engage in such conduct, it contradicts their founding values. The audio clip is not merely a short excerpt; it is a continuous five-to-six-minute dialogue that is clearly discernible. This revelation is deeply troubling and shocking."
