In a significant development on Saturday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan was arrested in connection with an extortion case that was registered last year. The MLA, representing Delhi’s Uttam Nagar Assembly segment, was summoned to the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch office in R K Puram for questioning, where he was subsequently arrested, police sources confirmed.
The arrest comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised allegations that Naresh Balyan was involved in extortion activities, questioning why AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had not taken any action against him. BJP leaders have been vocal in accusing the AAP government of shielding its corrupt members.
However, the AAP has strongly defended Naresh Balyan, calling his arrest illegal. A statement from the party claimed that the arrest was politically motivated, with AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleging that Balyan’s arrest was part of a conspiracy to target party leaders in response to Kejriwal’s recent statements on law and order in Delhi.
“The charges against Naresh Balyan are completely baseless. This is part of an attempt to harass and discredit our party leaders,” Sanjay Singh said, further accusing the BJP and the central government of orchestrating the arrest.
The controversy stems from the circulation of an audio clip on social media, which allegedly featured a conversation between Naresh Balyan and notorious gangster Kapil Sangwan, who is reportedly based abroad. The conversation reportedly involved discussions about collecting extortion money from local businessmen. A police official confirmed that an investigation was underway, with further interrogations being conducted to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
Naresh Balyan, in response to the accusations, vehemently denied any involvement in illegal activities and refuted the BJP’s claims. He stated that he would take legal action against those spreading false information about him. The MLA had also earlier reported receiving threats from gangster Kapil Sangwan, which he claims were ignored by the authorities.
As the investigation continues, the political tension between the ruling AAP government and opposition parties in Delhi remains high, with both sides accusing each other of using the law enforcement agencies for political gains.
Sources By Agencies
