Delhi Election 2025: Convicted In 2016 Quran Desecration Case, AAP MLA Naresh Yadav Declines AAP Ticket

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Naresh Yadav has opted not to contest the upcoming Delhi elections till he is proven innocent in the 2016 Quran desecration case.

File photo of Naresh Yadav with Arvind Kejriwal.

Source : Facebook@naresh.yadav0502

Delhi Elections 2025: Mehrauli MLA and Aam Aadmi Party leader Naresh Yadav has said that he will not fight elections till he is absolved of all charges in the Quran desecration case. Taking to social media platform X on Friday, Naresh Yadav said: "Twelve years ago, I joined the AamAadmiParty inspired by the honest politics of Arvind Kejriwal. This party has given me a lot. Today, after meeting Arvindji, I told him that till the court clears my case, I shall not be able to do anything for the party."

आज से बारह साल पहले आदरणीय श्री @ArvindKejriwal जी की ईमानदारी की राजनीति से प्रेरित होकर मैं @AamAadmiParty मैं आया था। इस पार्टी ने मुझे बहुत कुछ दिया है। आज अरविंद जी से मिलकर मैंने उनको बताया की जब तक कोर्ट से मैं
बा-इज़्ज़त बरी नहीं हो जाता, तब तक मैं चुनाव नहीं लड़ूँगा।… pic.twitter.com/TsvCZIjKA1

— Naresh Yadav MLA AAP (@MLA_NareshYadav) December 20, 2024

"I shall not contest elections until I am honourably acquitted. I am completely innocent and the allegations levelled against me are politically motivated and false. That is why I have requested them to excuse me from contesting elections. I shall continue to serve the people of Mehrauli and work as a party worker. I shall try my best to make Arvind Kejriwal the CM of Delhi again," he said.

Naresh Yadav was named by the AAP as its Mehrauli candidate for the 2025 Delhi Assembly election. However, on November 30, Yadav was sentenced to two years in prison in the 2016 Quran desecration case. He was also fined Rs 11,000.

#BREAKING | AAP विधायक नरेश यादव ने किया चुनाव लड़ने से इनकार @anchorjiya | @deepakrawat45
https://t.co/smwhXUROiK #AAP #Delhi #Vidhansabhaelections #NareshYadav pic.twitter.com/vDV37PrAFf

— ABP News (@ABPNews) December 20, 2024

What Is The 2016 Quran Desecration Case?

The 2016 Quran desecration case refers to the incident that occurred on June 24, 2016, in Malerkotla, Punjab. Torn pages of the Quran were discovered on a road, inciting major unrest and violence in the area. The protests led to arson and several vehicles were damaged, including those belonging to an MLA from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The incident took place during the tenure of the SAD-BJP government and was seen as blasphemy.

Naresh Yadav was implicated in this case after police investigations linked him to the incident through statements made by other accused in the case. He was arrested in July 2016 and faced charges of conspiring to incite communal unrest. He was convicted by a court in Malerkotla on November 30, 2024.

He was charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, and  Criminal conspiracy.