The Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case has taken another turn as a Delhi court reserved its order on an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan.
The case revolves around alleged irregularities in appointments made by the Delhi Waqf Board, with Khan being accused of evading summons related to the investigation.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra is set to decide on April 9 whether to summon Khan to respond to the ED's plea. The federal probe agency has accused Khan of aggravating his role from a witness to an accused by filing an anticipatory bail plea and avoiding investigation.
The ED contends that Khan's non-cooperation has hindered the probe's progress. Special Public Prosecutor Simon Benjamin highlighted Khan's significant role in the alleged irregularities, stating that he played a larger role compared to other accused individuals who have already been arrested and charged.
Although Khan, the Okhla MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was not named as an accused in a recent chargesheet filed by the ED, the agency has named five entities in its prosecution complaint. Among these are three suspected associates of Khan – Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.
The ED alleges that Khan acquired substantial proceeds of crime in cash through illegal recruitment of staff to the Delhi Waqf Board during his tenure as its chairperson and subsequently invested them in purchasing immovable assets in the names of his associates.
The case originated from an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and three complaints filed by the Delhi Police. The ED conducted raids on premises linked to Khan and others last October, seizing incriminating physical and digital evidence indicating Khan's involvement in money laundering.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case sheds light on the alleged misuse of authority and corruption within the Delhi Waqf Board. The court's decision on the ED's plea will be pivotal in determining the course of the investigation and the potential implications for Khan and other involved parties.
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