The Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui, chairman of the Al-Falah group, on Tuesday night in a money-laundering case linked to the Al Falah Charitable Trust.
A city court sent him to 13 days’ ED custody till December 1. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan at 1 am on Wednesday.
Siddiqui was detained under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and produced in court later that night for ED to seek his remand. Officials said the arrest followed detailed investigation and analysis of proofs collected during search operations at premises linked to the Al Falah group.
The case is based on two FIRs by the Delhi Police Crime Branch alleging that Al Falah University made fake claims of NAAC accreditation and wrongly claimed UGC recognition under Section 12(B) to deceive students and parents.
The UGC later clarified that the university is recognised only under Section 2(f) as a state private university, has never applied under Section 12(B), and is not eligible for grants.
The Al Falah Charitable Trust, formed in 1995 with Siddiqui as a founding trustee and managing trustee, controls all institutions under the group. The group expanded rapidly over the years but, according to officials, lacks the financial strength to justify this growth.
ED searches at 25 locations, including on the university premises and residences of key persons associated with the group, in Delhi on Tuesday, found evidence of large-scale diversion of funds, including over Rs 48 lakh in cash, multiple digital devices and documents. Investigators found that crores were allegedly diverted to family-owned entities through contracts awarded by the trust.
The agency maintained that exhaustive evidence, including recovery of cash from trustees’ diversion of funds to family concerns, and layering of funds, established the generation of proceeds of crime.
After establishing his culpability in the offence, the ED arrested Siddiqui following due legal procedure.
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