A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan in a case registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), linked to an alleged crime syndicate led by gangster Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu.
Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of Rouse Avenue Court rejected Balyan’s second bail application on the grounds that there was no change in circumstances warranting relief.
Balyan was produced through video-conferencing.
Delhi Police opposed the plea, asserting that the charges were serious and a supplementary charge sheet had already been filed against the accused under Sections 3 and 4 of MCOCA.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Akhand Pratap Singh argued that the grounds raised had already been addressed and rejected earlier.
Appearing for Balyan, Advocate M S Khan, along with Advocates Rohit Kumar Dalal and Rahul Sahani, contested the validity of the FIR’s MCOCA approval, claiming that the police misrepresented facts regarding the timing of an audio clip allegedly linking Balyan to gangster Nandu.
The defence contended that the police knew about the clip before lodging the FIR, but it was falsely projected as new evidence.
Earlier on May 7, Balyan had withdrawn his bail appeal from the Delhi High Court. On May 5, the Court had taken cognizance of a supplementary charge sheet naming Balyan and three others as accused.
The Court had directed daily hearings on charge framing from June 3 and extended the judicial custody of all accused. The Delhi Police had been asked to expedite the probe concerning another accused, Vikas Gehlot.
Balyan has been in custody since December 4, 2024, under the MCOC Act.