Amanat Ullah Khan’s Bail Plea in Delhi Waqf Board Case
The Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi has issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the bail plea of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanat Ullah Khan. Khan was arrested on September 2 in connection with a Rs 36 crore property purchase in Okhla. Special judge Vishal Gogne has asked the ED to respond and scheduled a hearing for October 29. Khan’s legal team, including Advocate Rajat Bhardwaj and Kaustubh Khanna, is representing him.
Background of the Case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the first FIR on November 23, 2016, accusing Khan of criminal misconduct and conspiracy while he was the Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board. The allegations included corrupt and illegal practices, leading to financial losses for the government. A second FIR was filed by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on January 28, 2020, with similar accusations.
The plea claims that the charge-sheet from the first FIR, dated August 13, 2022, found no evidence of bribes or illegal monetary benefits for Khan. Despite this, the ACB arrested him after the charge-sheet was filed. The plea argues that the ACB improperly involved the ED to investigate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Current Legal Proceedings
The trial court in the second FIR granted Khan regular bail, noting no bribe was paid and no financial loss occurred. In the CBI case, Khan was also granted bail after appearing in court. The ED has arrested other accused individuals and filed a Prosecution Complaint, focusing on Khan, although he was not formally charged.
Doubts Revealed
Bail Plea -: A bail plea is a request made by someone who has been arrested to be released from jail while they wait for their trial. It is like asking for permission to go home instead of staying in jail.
Delhi Waqf Board -: The Delhi Waqf Board is an organization that manages properties and funds meant for the welfare of the Muslim community in Delhi. It takes care of places like mosques and schools.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) -: The Enforcement Directorate is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering. They make sure people are not hiding or using illegal money.
AAP MLA -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, a political party in India. MLA means Member of Legislative Assembly, which is a person elected to represent people in a specific area in the state government.
Rouse Avenue court -: Rouse Avenue court is a special court in New Delhi that deals with cases related to corruption and financial crimes. It is where important legal decisions are made.
CBI -: CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation, which is India’s main agency for investigating serious crimes. They look into cases like corruption and fraud.
FIR -: FIR stands for First Information Report. It is a document prepared by the police when they receive information about a crime. It is the first step in a police investigation.
ACB -: ACB stands for Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is a government agency that investigates corruption cases. They work to catch people who misuse their power for personal gain.
