A Delhi court on Sunday reserved its order on the police’s request for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan’s police remand in an extortion case.
Balyan, the MLA from Uttam Nagar, was arrested on Saturday after audio clips surfaced, allegedly showing him in conversation with gangster Kapil Sangwan, also known as Nandu. The recordings reportedly reveal plans to extort money from Delhi builders and others.
At the Rouse Avenue Court, Delhi Police sought a 5-day custody of Balyan for interrogation. After hearing arguments, the court decided to reserve its order.
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BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia condemned Balyan, calling him an “extortionist” and accusing AAP leaders of colluding with gangsters to extort money from traders and builders. Bhatia also alleged that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal was fully aware of Balyan’s actions.
BJP leader Kailash Gahlot dismissed claims of a conspiracy, stating that the issue had been known to senior AAP leaders for over a year. He criticized the lack of action from the party’s top brass, including Kejriwal, despite their awareness of the situation.
Gahlot questioned AAP’s principles, pointing out the contradiction between the party’s commitment to “Character, Corruption, and Crime” and the involvement of senior leaders in such incidents. He described the audio clip as a disturbing, continuous conversation that raised serious concerns.