The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the bail application of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Naresh Balyan in a case registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Justice Manoj Jain delivered the ruling, rejecting the former lawmaker’s petition for relief. Balyan is accused of functioning as a facilitator for an organized crime syndicate operating in the city.
Defense Claims and Detention History
In his petition, Balyan urged the court to grant him bail, arguing that there was no evidence against him and characterizing the case as completely frivolous.
The former legislator was arrested under the stringent anti-organized crime law on December 4, 2024. His arrest under MCOCA occurred on the same day a trial court had granted him bail in a separate alleged extortion case.
Background and Prosecution Arguments
The High Court ruling comes after a trial court previously denied Balyan bail in the MCOCA case on January 15, 2025.
During the trial court proceedings, the prosecution opposed Balyan’s release by citing 16 First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against alleged syndicate members across various parts of Delhi. Prosecutors argued that the criminal syndicate had disrupted public order and accumulated substantial illegal wealth through its activities.
