AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan and 10 others face corruption and conspiracy charges over illegal Waqf Board appointments. Court finds prima facie evidence; detailed judgment awaited.
New Delhi: Today, on July 28, a Delhi court has officially framed serious charges of corruption and criminal conspiracy against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan and 10 others. These charges relate to alleged illegal recruitments made in the Delhi Waqf Board when Khan was its chairman.
The decision came from Special Judge (PC Act) Dig Vinay Singh at the Rouse Avenue Courts on Monday. The detailed judgment is still awaited.
ALSO READ: CBI Tightens Noose: Fresh Charge Sheet Filed in Delhi Waqf Board Corruption Case
Along with Amanatullah Khan, the court has also charged Mahboob Alam, Hamid Akhtar, Kifayatullah Khan, Rafisshan Khan, Imran Ali, Mohammad Ahrar, Aquib Jawed, Azhar Khan, Zakir Khan, and Abudul Mannar in the same case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that during his time as Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board (DWB), between 2016 and 2021, Amanatullah Khan misused his official powers to make several illegal appointments.
One of the key accusations is that he appointed Mahboob Alam as the CEO of the Waqf Board in an unlawful manner, bypassing the proper rules and procedures. The agency claims these acts were in clear violation of laws that regulate such appointments.
According to the investigation, the recruitment process carried out under Khan’s leadership was not transparent and did not follow due legal procedure.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Accepts CBI’s Apology for Filing FIR Despite Stay Order, Cites ‘Mistake’
The CBI further alleges that all those involved conspired together to carry out these irregularities and benefit from them.
It has been noted that the actions taken during this period were part of a larger scheme of corruption within the board.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is separately investigating the money laundering aspect of the case. This probe is aimed at understanding whether the money involved in the illegal appointments or other actions was used in a manner that violates the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The court’s decision to frame charges marks a significant development in the case, which has been under investigation for several years.
The framing of charges means that the trial will now move forward, and the accused will face court proceedings on the alleged crimes.
A detailed copy of the judgment will provide more information on the exact charges and the court’s reasoning, but as of now, the framing of charges itself indicates that the court found enough prima facie evidence to move the case to the next stage.
Click Here to Read Our Reports on Waqf
