The Delhi High Court Today (Sept 19) asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to respond to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan’s plea challenging his arrest in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the waqf board here during his chairmanship.
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in response to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan’s plea challenging his arrest in a money laundering case. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board during his tenure as chairman.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, presiding over the matter, asked the ED to submit a status report within two weeks.
The court scheduled the next hearing for October 18.
Khan was arrested on September 2 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following a raid conducted by the ED at his residence in Okhla.
He is currently in judicial custody until September 23.
At the start of the hearing, the ED’s counsel raised a preliminary objection, questioning the petition’s maintainability due to alleged “suppression of facts.” The lawyer argued that Khan had failed to disclose the rejection of his anticipatory bail plea by another bench of the High Court, which had reviewed the same material currently presented in this case.
An appeal was subsequently filed in the Supreme Court, which “refused to interfere” with the High Court’s decision, leading to the withdrawal of the appeal.
However, Khan’s counsel countered these claims, maintaining that there was “full disclosure of facts” in the petition and that “nothing has been concealed.”
Challenging the arrest, Khan’s lawyer argued that it was “illegal and unconstitutional” and should be “quashed.” He criticized the trial court’s remand order, calling it “mechanical” and urged the High Court to “set it aside.” The lawyer also requested interim relief for Khan, asking the court to release him while the petition is pending.
Origin of the Case
The money laundering allegations against Khan stem from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR and three separate complaints filed by the Delhi Police. The ED has further named five individuals in its prosecution complaint, including three associates of Khan—Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.
The charges relate to accusations of illegal recruitment of staff and “unfair” leasing of Waqf Board properties between 2018 and 2022, during which Khan served as chairperson of the Delhi Waqf Board.
ED’s Investigation
During the raid, the ED reportedly seized a significant amount of “incriminating” evidence, both physical and digital, pointing to Khan’s involvement in money laundering. The ED alleged that Khan had amassed “huge proceeds of crime” by illegally recruiting staff and mismanaging Waqf Board assets.
The money, the agency claims, was then used to purchase immovable properties in the names of his associates.
This is not the first time Khan has been under investigation, as previous raids have also been conducted at his properties.
Khan’s arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of the operations of the Delhi Waqf Board during his leadership, as the ED continues to probe financial irregularities.
The Delhi High Court’s upcoming decision on his plea will be closely watched as the case unfolds.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Amanatullah Khan
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