The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has submitted a fresh plea seeking a non-bailable warrant against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan in connection with a money laundering case involving alleged irregularities in appointments at the Delhi Waqf Board.
Special Judge Rakesh Syal scheduled the matter for April 18 after the agency requested time to submit certain documents supporting its application.
"A fresh application for a non-bailable warrant against Amanatullah Khan has been received and registered as per the rules. The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the ED has requested some time to file specific documents in support of the application. As requested, the matter will be considered on April 18, 2024," the judge announced.
Khan, representing the Okhla constituency for AAP, was not directly named as an accused in a recent chargesheet filed by the federal agency. However, the ED has sought Khan's prosecution for allegedly evading its summons in the case, prompting Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra to summon Khan on April 20.
The ED has asserted before the ACMM that Khan's status has shifted from a witness to an accused due to his filing of an anticipatory bail plea and avoidance of investigation.
Furthermore, the agency has indicated that Khan's involvement surpasses that of other accused individuals previously arrested and charged, describing him as having a more significant role in the alleged offenses.
The prosecution complaint by the ED mentions five entities, including three suspected associates of Khan: Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.
The ED's investigation, which commenced after raids conducted on premises linked to Khan and others in October of the preceding year, alleges that Khan acquired substantial proceeds of crime in cash through illicit staff recruitment at the Delhi Waqf Board. It is alleged that Khan then invested these funds in acquiring immovable assets under the names of his associates.
The money laundering case originated from an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and three complaints filed by the Delhi Police, focusing on illegal staff recruitment and personal gains obtained through unfair leasing of Waqf Board properties during Khan's tenure as its chairperson from 2018 to 2022.
