The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, directed the virtual presence of 2 accused individuals, Rohit and Sachin Chikara, in a case under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) involving AAP MLA Naresh Balyan.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri instructed the jail superintendent to ensure the accused are available for video-conferencing on Thursday, December 19, 2024.
The case revolves around a Delhi Police plea to transfer the trial of all the accused from a Dwarka trial court to the special MP/MLA court in Rouse Avenue. This transfer request was based on the argument that while applications related to Balyan, an accused MLA, were being heard in the special court, similar applications for the other co-accused were being listed before the designated MCOCA court in Dwarka.
Justice Ohri acknowledged that notices on the transfer petition had been served to the two accused but noted that they had not appeared through their counsel. He reiterated the importance of their presence and directed the jail authorities to ensure they are brought before the court via video call the next day.
During the proceedings, the counsel for another accused, Ritik, expressed no objection to transferring the case to the special MP/MLA court.
Naresh Balyan, the Uttam Nagar MLA, was arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the MCOCA case on December 4, 2024. His arrest came just after he was granted bail in an alleged extortion case.
In a previous hearing, the special MP/MLA court had denied the police’s request for further remand of Balyan and sent him to judicial custody until January 9, 2025.
High Court’s order to ensure the virtual appearance of the accused and the pending decision on transferring the case underscore the complexity of the legal proceedings. The court will continue to review the matter in the coming days, as the case involving Balyan and his co-accused develops.
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