On Monday(2nd September),AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan has been remanded to four days of ED custody by a Delhi court in a money laundering probe. The arrest occurred on September 2, with the ED seeking further interrogation.
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DELHI: Delhi court on Monday(2nd September), night ordered AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan to be remanded in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for four days in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation. The court’s decision came after Khan was arrested from his residence earlier in the day, prompting the ED to seek a ten-day custody to further interrogate him.
Details of the Court Proceedings
The ED produced Amanatullah Khan before Special Judge Rakesh Syal on Monday night, just hours after his arrest. The agency requested a ten-day custody, citing the need to confront Khan with other accused individuals and crucial evidence in the case. However, after hearing the arguments, the judge reserved the order before eventually granting a four-day custody, stating-
“Four-day ED custody, to be produced on September 6.”
The 50-year-old MLA, representing the Okhla constituency, was detained under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at 11:20 AM following a raid at his residence that began at around 6 AM. The ED had been investigating Khan based on two First Information Reports (FIRs) – one filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board, and another by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch concerning alleged disproportionate assets.
ED’s Allegations Against Khan
During the court proceedings, the ED outlined its case against Khan, accusing him of being the primary accused in the money laundering investigation.
ALSO READ: Delhi Waqf Board Case | ED Seeks Arrest Warrant for AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan
The agency alleged-
“Illegally obtained funds were laundered and used to purchase property, with cash transactions involved.”
The ED further claimed that there was an attempt to “misguide the agency,” asserting that Khan had been uncooperative during the investigation.
The ED’s counsel informed the court that despite issuing 14 summonses to Khan, he had only appeared once, and that too under the direction of the Supreme Court. This lack of cooperation, according to the agency, necessitated his arrest.
“There was an attempt to misguide the agency,”
-the ED told the court, accusing Khan of non-cooperation.
Context of the Money Laundering Probe
The money laundering investigation against Khan is rooted in allegations of irregularities during his tenure as the chairman of the Delhi Wakf Board from 2018 to 2022. The ED has accused him of acquiring “huge proceeds of crime” through the illegal recruitment of staff in the Wakf Board and investing those illicit gains in purchasing immovable assets in the names of his associates.
In a statement, the ED claimed that “illegal recruitment” of staff took place in the Wakf Board under Khan’s leadership, and “illegal personal gains” were made by unfairly leasing Wakf Board properties. The agency filed a charge sheet in January 2023, naming four individuals, including Khan’s alleged associates Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.
Khan’s Response and Arrest Circumstances
Amanatullah Khan has refuted the allegations, asserting that he has “fully cooperated” with the ED. He also mentioned that both the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) and the CBI had previously investigated the case and cleared him of any wrongdoing.
“Previously in this case, both the ACB and the CBI conducted their investigations and cleared me of any wrongdoing. The ED searched my house in connection with this case on October 10, 2023.”
-Khan said.
Khan’s arrest took place under dramatic circumstances. A purported video circulated on social media showing him sitting on a bed near his mother-in-law, who he stated had recently undergone surgery. In the video, Khan can be heard telling an ED officer outside his locked gate-
“I know you want to arrest me.”
– He expressed concern for his mother-in-law’s health, stating that she is a cancer patient who underwent surgery just four days prior.
“Today, they’ve come to arrest me. Will the ED Deputy Director assure the SHO that my arrest won’t negatively impact my mother-in-law’s health or lead to her death?”
-Khan questioned in a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter) before his arrest.
Broader Context of AAP Leaders Under Investigation
Amanatullah Khan is one of several AAP leaders who have come under the scrutiny of the federal agency in various money laundering cases. Other prominent figures include Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former minister Satyendar Jain. Notably, Sisodia and Sanjay Singh have since been released on bail.