Amanatullah Khan’s Judicial Custody Extended
On October 7, the Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi extended the judicial custody of Amanatullah Khan, a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), until October 21. Khan is involved in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 2 for allegedly purchasing a property worth Rs. 36 Crores in Okhla.
Court Proceedings
Special Judge Vishal Gogne made the decision to extend Khan’s custody after hearing arguments from both the ED and Khan’s defense team. The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the ED argued for the extension, stating that a supplementary charge sheet would be filed against Khan. The ED expressed concerns that Khan might tamper with evidence if not kept in custody.
Defense’s Argument
Advocates Rajat Bhardwaj and Kaustubh Khanna, representing Khan, opposed the extension. They argued that Khan had cooperated with the investigation, appearing before the ED on April 18 and submitting phone data in February. They also mentioned that four other accused individuals have been in custody since November 2023 and requested Khan’s release on the condition of daily appearances at the ED office.
Doubts Revealed
AAP MLA -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, a political party in India. MLA means Member of Legislative Assembly, which is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislative assembly of a state in India.
Amanatullah Khan -: Amanatullah Khan is a politician from the Aam Aadmi Party and serves as an MLA in Delhi, India.
Judicial Custody -: Judicial custody means that a person is kept in jail while their case is being investigated or tried in court. It is different from police custody, where the police keep the person for questioning.
Delhi Waqf Board -: The Delhi Waqf Board is an organization that manages properties and funds meant for religious and charitable purposes for the Muslim community in Delhi.
Rouse Avenue court -: Rouse Avenue court is a special court in New Delhi that deals with cases related to corruption and economic offenses.
Enforcement Directorate -: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering and foreign exchange violations.
Money Laundering -: Money laundering is the process of making illegally-gained money appear legal by hiding its true source.
Supplementary Charge Sheet -: A supplementary charge sheet is an additional document filed by the investigating agency in court, providing more evidence or information about a case.
