AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan Sent to ED Custody in Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering Case
New Delhi, September 3: The Rouse Avenue Court has remanded AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan to four days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody in connection with the Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering case. Khan was arrested for allegedly laundering money through the purchase of a 1200-square-yard plot worth Rs 36 crore in Okhla.
Details of the Case
Special judge Rakesh Syal granted the custody remand, and Khan is to be produced before the court on September 6. The ED had initially sought a 10-day remand. The court has allowed Khan to have legal meetings, family visits, home-cooked food, and medicine during his custody.
Accusations and Evidence
Special Public Prosecutors Manish Jain and Simon Benjamin, along with Snehal Sharda, represented the ED. They stated that Khan is the main accused and that the proceeds of crime were laundered through land purchases. The ED mentioned that a prosecution complaint had already been filed, and four other accused were previously arrested.
The ED revealed that the property was falsely shown to be worth Rs 13.4 crore, while its actual value was Rs 36 crore. Payments were made through both banking channels and cash. Diaries maintained by Qausar Imam Siddiqui, which recorded high-value transactions, were also presented as evidence.
Defense Arguments
Senior advocate Vikram Chaudhari, along with Rajat Bhardwaj and Kaustubh Khanna, represented Khan. They argued that there was nothing new in the grounds for arrest and that Khan had been granted bail in related CBI and ACB cases. They also questioned the timing and justification of the ED’s charges.
Background and Additional Allegations
The Rouse Avenue court had earlier taken cognizance of the prosecution complaint filed by the ED, which included allegations of money laundering in the purchase and sale of a Rs 36 crore property. The ED also alleged that properties were made in Delhi, Telangana, and Uttarakhand with ill-gotten money. Incriminating evidence and illegal weapons were recovered during searches.
SPP Manish Jain stated that the allegations involved irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board, including the misappropriation of Rs 100 crore and the provision of jobs to certain individuals. The ED also mentioned that properties were purchased in the name of benamidar Zeeshan Haider.
The court was informed that the original owner of the disputed property was Aisha Kanwar, who sold it to the accused in 2021. The ED claimed that the property was bought at the behest of Amanat Ullah Khan.
Doubts Revealed
AAP -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, which is a political party in India. It was founded by Arvind Kejriwal and others to fight against corruption and promote good governance.
MLA -: MLA stands for Member of Legislative Assembly. It is a person elected by the people to represent them in the legislative assembly of a state in India.
Amanat Ullah Khan -: Amanat Ullah Khan is a politician from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and serves as an MLA in Delhi.
ED -: ED stands for Enforcement Directorate. It is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering.
Custody -: Custody means being kept by the police or another authority. In this case, Amanat Ullah Khan is being kept by the ED for investigation.
Delhi Waqf Board -: The Delhi Waqf Board is an organization that manages properties and funds donated for religious or charitable purposes in Delhi.
Money Laundering -: Money laundering is the illegal process of making large amounts of money generated by a criminal activity appear to be earned legally.
Rouse Avenue Court -: Rouse Avenue Court is a special court in Delhi that deals with cases related to corruption and financial crimes.
1200-square-yard plot -: A 1200-square-yard plot is a piece of land that measures 1200 square yards in area. In this case, it is located in Okhla, Delhi.
Rs 36 crore -: Rs 36 crore means 36 crore rupees, which is a large amount of money in Indian currency. One crore is equal to 10 million rupees.
Okhla -: Okhla is a neighborhood in Delhi, India. It is known for its industrial area and residential colonies.
Diaries and financial transactions -: Diaries and financial transactions refer to written records and details of money being moved or spent. These were used as evidence by the ED.
Legal meetings -: Legal meetings mean that Amanat Ullah Khan is allowed to meet with his lawyers while in custody.
Family visits -: Family visits mean that Amanat Ullah Khan’s family members are allowed to visit him while he is in custody.
Home-cooked food -: Home-cooked food means that Amanat Ullah Khan is allowed to eat food prepared at his home while he is in custody.
Medicine during custody -: Medicine during custody means that Amanat Ullah Khan is allowed to take his prescribed medicines while he is being held by the ED.