MCOCA case: AAP MLA Naresh Balyan denied bail

A Delhi court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of AAP MLA Naresh Balyan in a case registered under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Special judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Courts dismissed the application.

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The decision comes after the court reserved its order on January 9 following detailed arguments from both defense and the prosecution. Balyan was arrested on December 4 in connection with this case. However, he was earlier granted bail in a separate extortion case.

The Delhi Police opposed his bail plea during the January 8 hearing, labeling him a “facilitator” in an organised crime syndicate led by Kapil Sangwan.

“They [witnesses] have confessed that accused Naresh Balyan is a facilitator/conspirator in the organised crime syndicate of Kapil Sangwan. He has provided money to one of the syndicate members after the commission of a crime for expenses during evading his arrest,” Special Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh had argued.

Citing the gravity of the case, Singh warned of potential consequences, if bail was granted. “If bail is granted, Balyan could influence witnesses, destroy evidence and hamper the ongoing investigation,” he argued.

The Delhi Police added that 16 FIRs were lodged against members of this syndicate across various parts of Delhi. “This group has created havoc in society and amassed huge illegal wealth,” he added.

Balyan’s alleged involvement links him to Kapil Sangwan’s organised crime group, which the police claim had been responsible for a series of criminal activities, including extortion and violence.

According to the prosecution, the group has been operating with impunity, leveraging financial resources to evade law enforcement.

The defense argued for bail on grounds of insufficient evidence directly implicating Balyan. However, the court was not convinced, siding with the prosecution’s assertion of the MLA’s potential to interfere with the judicial process.