The Delhi High Court has ordered the transfer of a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Naresh Balyan from a Dwarka court to the Rouse Avenue court, which specializes in matters involving Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies. This decision was announced by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri on Thursday.
The court’s decision came in response to a petition from the Delhi Police, who argued that proceedings related to the same FIR were being split between two courts. They contended that while the remand applications for Balyan were processed at the Rouse Avenue District Courts, those for other accused were being handled by the designated MCOCA court in Dwarka. The police and the prosecutor highlighted the inefficiency of conducting linked proceedings across different venues.
In delivering the verdict, Justice Ohri noted that the transfer would consolidate the case under one court at the Rouse Avenue District Courts, where proceedings involving Naresh Balyan had already been taking place. He mandated that any further proceedings be coordinated by the Principal and District Judge of the Rouse Avenue court.
During the court session, two other accused in the case, Rohit and Sachin Chikara, were presented via video-conferencing from jail. Similarly, counsel for another accused, Ritik, agreed to the transfer without objections.
This transfer comes shortly after Balyan’s arrest on December 4, the same day he received bail in a separate alleged extortion case. His involvement in organized crime under MCOCA has led to significant legal challenges, including a recent denial of police remand by the special MP/MLA court, which instead sent him to judicial custody until January 9, 2025.
