Wed Dec 04 19:42:05 UTC 2024: ## AAP MLA Arrested Under MCOCA Hours After Bail in Extortion Case

**New Delhi, December 5, 2024** – Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan was arrested Wednesday under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) by Delhi Police, just minutes after being granted bail in an extortion case.

Balyan, the Uttam Nagar MLA, had been released on a personal bond by the Rouse Avenue courts following a hearing where the police’s request for 14-day judicial custody was rejected due to insufficient grounds. However, police immediately rearrested him under MCOCA, citing their investigation into the extortion case which allegedly revealed his close links to gangster Kapil Sangwan’s organized crime syndicate. The arrest comes after a purported telephonic conversation between Balyan and Sangwan, discussing ransom collection, was aired by a news channel last year. The extortion case itself dates back to July 2023, with a complainant alleging a ₹1 crore extortion demand from Sangwan, who operates from abroad.

The arrest has sparked a political row. The AAP accused the BJP-led central government of misusing its agencies, alleging that Balyan, who had previously filed multiple complaints against gangsters, was himself a victim of threats and extortion. The party plans to challenge the arrest legally. Conversely, the Delhi BJP lauded the arrest, claiming it demonstrated Balyan’s deep involvement in the extortion racket and highlighting their longstanding accusations of AAP MLAs’ links to crime. The Delhi Congress criticized both AAP and BJP, accusing them of creating a climate of lawlessness in Delhi. Balyan is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

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