Extortion charges against Balyan a conspiracy: Kejri

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday defended Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Balyan, claiming that the charges of extortion against him were part of a conspiracy. Instead, Balyan was a ‘victim of threats’ from notorious gangster Kapil Sangwan, he said.Addressing a press conference at the AAP headquarters, Kejriwal alleged that Balyan was wrongfully arrested by the Delhi Police after filing a complaint against the gangster. “Balyan was arrested because he dared to file a complaint against criminals. This is a dangerous message from the Union Home Minister—that if you complain against criminals, you will either be attacked or arrested,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal read out excerpts from Balyan's complaint to the Delhi Police, filed earlier this year, in which the MLA described receiving life-threatening calls from Sangwan. The complaint, dated May 2023, detailed how Sangwan, also known as Nandu, allegedly threatened Balyan and his family if he did not comply with extortion demands.

Kejriwal condemned the Delhi Police’s actions, alleging that instead of investigating Sangwan, they arrested Balyan. "Instead of action being taken against Kapil Sangwan, the Delhi Police arrested Naresh Balyan," Kejriwal said. He further accused the government of using Balyan’s arrest to silence those who speak out against criminals. "This arrest is nothing but a desperate attempt to silence those who dare to stand up against criminals."

Kejriwal also called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take action against the gangsters. “If the Home Minister has any courage, he should arrest the gangsters instead of those who report them. By arresting Balyan, the government is protecting criminals and endangering the lives of citizens,” he said.

In response to Kejriwal’s claims, the Delhi Police provided a different perspective. Police sources alleged that Balyan had links to Kapil Sangwan, who is reportedly involved in multiple extortion and firing cases in the city. "There is an audio recording of a conversation between Kapil Sangwan and AAP MLA Naresh Balyan," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sanjay Kumar Sain.

The Delhi Police requested Balyan’s remand for five days, while Balyan’s legal counsel argued that the arrest was made on "illegal basis". The prosecution countered the claim saying that the audio clip would undergo forensic examination.

Balyan was remanded to two days' police custody by the Rouse Avenue Court on Sunday, with the case still under investigation.