New Delhi, 20 April (H.S.):

Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has recused herself from hearing the bail plea filed by former Aam Aadmi Party MLA Naresh Balyan in a case under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The matter will now be heard by another bench on April 23.

The Delhi High Court had earlier issued notice to the Delhi Police on June 25, 2025, while hearing Balyan’s bail plea. Before that, Balyan had also moved the High Court for bail, but withdrew the plea after the chargesheet in the case was filed. He later filed a bail application in the Rouse Avenue Court, which rejected his plea on May 27, 2025. Balyan then approached the High Court again.

Balyan was arrested by the Delhi Police in the MCOCA case after he was granted bail in an extortion case on December 4, 2024. He had been arrested on the night of November 30, 2024, in the extortion case. Before that, the BJP had released an audio clip allegedly featuring a conversation between Balyan and gangster Kapil Sangwan, also known as Nandu.

According to the Delhi Police, the conversation between Balyan and the gangster dates back to 2023, and an FIR was registered that year in connection with the matter.

Kapil Sangwan is a notorious gangster currently believed to be living in the United Kingdom. Both Sangwan and Balyan are residents of Najafgarh in Delhi.

Police also consider Sangwan the mastermind behind the Nafe Singh murder case in Haryana, as well as the killings of Ballu Pahalwan and BJP leader Surender Matiyala.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar