Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday lashed out at the BJP over the arrest of AAP’s Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Balyan in connection with an extortion case registered last year. He 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 a press conference 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 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 said Balyan had also got extortion calls and had given a complaint to police but no action was taken.“By arresting Baliyan, the Central government sent the message that if you complain against gangsters you will be arrested,” he said.
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.
Kejriwal, who was attacked with a liquid during a march on Saturday by a suspected out-of-job bus marshal, said getting him attacked would not improve law and order in the city. The incident took place when Kejriwal, who has Z+ security, along with Greater Kailash MLA and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, was walking in a narrow lane, greeting people.
Kejriwal said, "The liquid thrown on me was harmless, but it could have been dangerous. This is the third attack on me in the last 35 days." “Rather than tackling the problem, I am being attacked and our party’s MLAs are being arrested,” said Kejriwal.
The AAP Supremo continued, “Who will protect the people then? Where will they go? Who will they complain to? I want to tell Amit Shah: if you have the courage, arrest these gangsters and show us. Every child in Delhi knows which gangsters are operating here. If you have the courage, arrest those gangsters. Arrest those who are committing murders in Delhi, rapes and roaming freely.”
Kejriwal concluded his statement by calling for accountability from the Central Government and Home Minister Amit Shah: “Will attacking me or arresting my MLA make Delhi’s women safer? Will attacking me or arresting my MLA make Delhi’s businesspersons secure? Will attacking me or arresting my MLA make Delhi’s citizens or senior citizens feel safe? The people of Delhi now expect concrete action from you, Amit Shah.”
Targeting the BJP, the AAP leader alleged that the BJP was resorting to dishonest means as it fears a third consecutive defeat in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls.
