A Delhi court on Friday sent AAP’s Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Balyan to judicial custody in a case involving alleged organized crimes. The court denied the Delhi Police’s request to extend Balyan’s remand, citing insufficient grounds.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after Balyan’s seven-day police custody, granted earlier under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), expired. The police had sought a 10-day extension to continue their investigation.
The Delhi Police argued that additional custody was required to track nine individuals linked to Balyan and investigate the financial aspects of the alleged criminal activities. They also claimed that Balyan was uncooperative during his initial remand.
In response, Balyan’s defense team refuted the allegations, stating that the charges were largely derived from previous cases involving gangster Kapil Sangwan, and that several chargesheets in those cases had already been filed.
Balyan, who represents the Uttam Nagar constituency, was arrested on December 4 in connection with organized crime allegations. According to the Delhi Police, he is allegedly connected to a crime syndicate led by Kapil Sangwan.
The legislator recently secured bail in a separate extortion case registered last year. However, he was re-arrested under a fresh FIR filed in August 2023, invoking the stringent MCOCA.
MCOCA and Its History
MCOCA, enacted in Maharashtra in 1999, was the first state legislation in India specifically targeting organized crime. It was introduced to combat the rise of underworld activities in Mumbai. Delhi adopted MCOCA in 2002, as law and order in the National Capital Territory falls under the Union Government.
Alleged Links to Crime Syndicate
Delhi Police allege that Naresh Balyan has ties to Kapil Sangwan’s crime syndicate and sought additional custody to track down associates and financial trails. However, Balyan’s defense argued that the charges are baseless and lack new evidence beyond previously filed chargesheets.
The case has drawn attention to the use of stringent laws like MCOCA in addressing organized crime and has sparked debates on their application in political contexts.
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