Delhi High Court Denies Naresh Balyan's Custody Parole Request
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Synopsis
The Delhi High Court denied Naresh Balyan's custody parole request, citing his ongoing incarceration under MCOCA. His wife is set to replace him in the upcoming elections.
Key Takeaways
- Naresh Balyan's request for custody parole was denied.
- Balyan is currently incarcerated under MCOCA.
- His wife will run in his place for the upcoming elections.
- The court will hear his bail plea.
- Concerns raised about AAP leadership's inaction.
New Delhi, Jan 29 (NationPress) The Delhi High Court has rejected a request from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan, who is incarcerated due to a case involving the strict Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), asking for custody parole to assist his wife in her election campaign in the national capital.
The contentious Uttam Nagar legislator, Naresh Balyan, who was originally detained in an alleged extortion case, has been succeeded by his wife, Pooja Naresh Balyan, for the upcoming Delhi elections.
A bench led by Justice Vikas Mahajan declined his plea for custody parole but confirmed that they will consider Balyan’s regular bail plea the following day.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch rearrested Balyan under MCOCA on December 4 of the previous year, shortly after he obtained bail in connection to an extortion case.
Upon the Rouse Avenue Court granting him bail in the extortion matter, the police apprehended the AAP leader right outside the court and took him to their office.
Balyan was taken into custody on November 30, 2024, following the emergence of audio recordings allegedly featuring him speaking with gangster Kapil Sangwan, also known as Nandu. The recordings reportedly detail plans to intimidate and extort funds from builders and other individuals in Delhi.
The BJP has labeled Balyan as an “extortionist” and accused AAP officials of collaborating with gangsters to extract protection fees from businesspeople and builders. BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that Balyan's actions were carried out with the full knowledge and approval of AAP leader and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In the same vein, BJP leader Kailash Gahlot dismissed the notion of a conspiracy surrounding Balyan’s arrest, asserting that senior leaders had been aware of the situation for over a year.
Gahlot expressed serious concerns regarding the inaction from AAP’s leadership, including Kejriwal, despite their prior knowledge of the situation. “To label this a conspiracy would be completely incorrect, as every senior AAP leader has known about this for the past year. The pressing question is why no measures were taken, despite the awareness of such activities by senior party figures, including the National Convenor. It is troubling that the matter has escalated to this level,” he stated.
