Court Extends Custody of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in Delhi Waqf Board Case
The Rouse Avenue court has extended the custody of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan for three more days in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had requested ten days to further interrogate him. Khan was produced before the court after four days in ED custody.
Special CBI Judge Vishal Gogne extended the custody after hearing arguments from both the ED and the defense counsel. Khan is to be produced before the court again on September 9 before 4 PM.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Manish Jain, representing the ED, stated that Khan needs to be confronted with documents and witness statements. The ED claims that Khan is the main accused in the case involving the purchase of a property worth Rs 36 crores, allegedly using funds from criminal activities.
Defense counsel Rajat Bhardwaj contested the remand application, noting that the CBI had filed an FIR in 2016 and only filed a charge sheet in 2022, during which Khan was granted bail. Bhardwaj argued that the CBI’s allegations focused on irregularities in recruitment at the Delhi Waqf Board and that no financial benefits were received by Khan.
The defense also pointed out that the ED had previously requested a ten-day remand but was granted only four days. Bhardwaj argued that the statements from co-accused individuals cannot be used against Khan as per the law.
SPP Jain for the ED argued that Khan is the main accused and needs to be confronted with new witnesses and documents. The defense countered that the CBI had found no evidence of money generated by criminal activities and that the ED’s claims are based on statements from co-accused individuals.
The court questioned the ED’s allegations, given that the CBI had not made Khan an accused in their charge sheet. The defense argued that the ED cannot arrest Khan based on the same material used in the CBI’s investigation.
The case continues as the court evaluates the necessity of the extended custody and the evidence presented by both sides.
Doubts Revealed
AAP -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, a political party in India that focuses on anti-corruption and good governance.
MLA -: MLA stands for Member of Legislative Assembly, a person elected by the people to represent them in the state government.
Amanatullah Khan -: Amanatullah Khan is a politician from the Aam Aadmi Party and serves as an MLA in Delhi.
Delhi Waqf Board -: The Delhi Waqf Board is an organization that manages properties and funds donated for religious or charitable purposes in Delhi.
Rouse Avenue court -: Rouse Avenue court is a special court in Delhi that deals with cases related to corruption and other serious crimes.
custody -: Custody means keeping someone in jail or under police supervision while they are being investigated for a crime.
money laundering -: Money laundering is the illegal process of making large amounts of money generated by a criminal activity appear to be earned legally.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) -: The Enforcement Directorate is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering and foreign exchange violations.
bail -: Bail is a temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on the condition that a sum of money is paid to ensure they return for their court date.
