Overview
- The Delhi High Court, in an order by Justice Manoj Jain on Monday, refused Balyan’s bail plea under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and left him in judicial custody.
- Balyan has been in custody since his December 2024 arrest and remains lodged at Mandoli jail while trial courts and the High Court hear MCOCA litigation.
- Prosecutors allege Balyan acted as a facilitator for a syndicate linked to UK‑based gangster Kapil Sangwan and say Delhi Police have registered 16 FIRs against members of the group for extortion, violence and related offences.
- Separate court steps complicate the record: a trial court discharged Balyan on July 31 in a 2023 extortion case after flagging investigative lapses, while prosecutors filed a chargesheet in the MCOCA matter in May alleging use of VPNs and covert phones to aid the syndicate.
- MCOCA is a stringent anti‑organised‑crime law that lets investigators seek extended detention and heavier charges, so the High Court refusal keeps a high bar for release and signals prosecutors will continue with the complex, multi‑case probe.