Kejriwal claims wrongful arrest of AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, alleges political vendetta

AAP leader accuses Delhi Police of protecting gangsters while targeting those who report crimes

.

New Delhi, Updated At : 03:08 PM Dec 01, 2024 IST

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal addresses mediapersons with party MP Sanjay Singh in New Delhi on Sunday. ANI

Arvind Kejriwal, the National Convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Sunday accused Delhi Police of wrongfully arresting Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Balyan on extortion charges, asserting Balyan was, in fact, a victim of threats from a notorious gangster.

Addressing mediapersons at the AAP headquarters, Kejriwal claimed Balyan had previously filed a complaint with the police earlier this year, alleging threats from gangster Kapil Sangwan, also known as Nandu. Kejriwal said, “Balyan was arrested because he dared to report these threats from criminals. This sends a dangerous message from the Union Home Minister — if you file a complaint against gangsters, you risk being attacked or arrested.”

Kejriwal went on to read excerpts from Balyan’s complaint to the Special Commissioner of Police, filed in May 2023. The complaint, titled ‘Complaint against Shri Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu of Nandu Gang and his brother for extending threats of life for extortion’, describes how Balyan received a WhatsApp call on May 3, 2023, from someone identifying himself as Kapil Sangwan. The caller allegedly threatened to kill Balyan and his family unless he complied with the gangster’s extortion demands.

Kejriwal further alleged Balyan’s arrest was part of a broader political vendetta. “This arrest in an attempt to silence those who stand up to criminals,” he said, accusing the government of protecting the very criminals it should be prosecuting.

Turning his attention to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal said, “If the Home Minister has any courage, he should arrest the gangsters, not those who report them. By arresting Balyan, the government is shielding criminals and endangering the safety of ordinary citizens.”

However, Delhi Police presented a different version of events. According to police sources, Balyan has alleged connections to Kapil Sangwan, who is implicated in several extortion and firing cases. The police also revealed Balyan had been under investigation since last year, following the emergence of an audio clip allegedly showing a conversation between him and Sangwan.