New Delhi | The case surfaced after a press conference on Saturday by BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, where he accused Naresh Balyan of allegedly colluding with gangster elements. The case surfaced after a press conference on Saturday by BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, where he accused Naresh Balyan of allegedly colluding with gangster elements. (File Photo)
Uttam Nagar AAP MLA Naresh Balyan was arrested by the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch Saturday in connection with an extortion case from last year.
According to DCP (Crime Branch) Sanjay Sain, Balyan’s arrest came after an investigation uncovered an audio clip of a purported conversation between him and gangster Kapil Sangwan, who is reportedly operating from abroad. The conversation allegedly shows the two discussing the collection of ransom money from businessmen.
The arrest comes a day after former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged the rising activity of gangsters in Delhi and targeted the Centre and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the alleged rise in crimes in Delhi and turning it into a “gangster capital”.
Police said they are currently questioning Balyan, and further investigation is underway to assess the full extent of his involvement.
The case surfaced after a press conference on Saturday by BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, where he accused Balyan of allegedly colluding with gangster elements to extort money from business owners. He also played the audio clip of the purported conversation of the AAP MLA with the gangster.
Bhatia charged that the AAP was allegedly involved in threatening people and extorting money from them. He asked whether Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi would take action against the MLA and ask him to resign.
“If they do not take his resignation, it will be deemed that the extortion money is going to the party and its leaders,” he alleged.
Earlier in the day, Balyan dismissed the accusations levelled against him and said, “I am sending notices to all those who have spread the false clip and getting FIRs registered against them. Remember, I am not a Congressman. Those who spread lies should be ready for legal action.”
AAP senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also dismissed the allegations by the BJP. “Arvind Kejriwal is raising his voice against the deteriorating law and order and rising crime in Delhi. Instead of stopping these crimes, BJP and Amit Shah are trying to stop Kejriwal. To stop our leader, they are now running a fake audio clip,” Singh said.
Singh added, “The audio clip has no authenticity and the Delhi High Court has imposed a stay on it. Despite this, the Bharatiya Janata Party – I must call it the ‘Bharatiya Jhootha Party’- has once again circulated this clip.”