Delhi HC reserves order on AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan's anticipatory bail plea

Mar 04, 2024

New Delhi [India], March 4 : The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved order on AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan's anticipatory bail application in Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering.
He has been issued summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). His earlier anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by the trial court.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma heard the submissions made by the Senior advocate Kapil Sibal for petitioner and Zoheb Hossain foe Enforcement Directorate.
It was stated that applicant is not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing or any violation of the provisions of the PMLA in any manner whatsoever and therefore, the Applicant's life and liberty must be protected from unwarranted and unjustified encroachment at the hands of the Respondent on the basis of a false, malicious and motivated case without any merit.
It was also stated that ED has implicated the accused in a false and concocted story, no case is made out against the Applicant. There are reasonable grounds believing that Applicant is innocent and has no involvement whatsoever in the alleged offence.
" There is no Bribe amount involved therefore there is no generation of Proceeds of Crime which leaves no scope of Applicant's involvement in any activity of placement, layering and/or integration of any proceeds of crime and as such, there is no question of any violation of the provisions of the PMLA," the Petition submitted.
On the other hand, It was submitted by the ED that the petitioner has been issued several summons and he has been evading the same. His bail plea has already dismissed by the trial court.
The Rouse Avenue court March 1 dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan.
This case is related to the Purchase of a property Rs. 36 crore in Okhla area on the alleged behest of Amanat Ullah Khan who is also sitting MLA from that area.
In this case, the court has dismissed the bail application of three accused namely Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.
A charge sheet has already filed against four accused persons including Qausar Imam Siddiqui.
It has been alleged that Rs. 100 crore Waqf Properties were given on lease illegally. It is also alleged that 32 contractual employees were appointed in Delhi Waqf Board during chairmanship of Amanat Ullah Khan flouting the rules.
It was argued before the trial court that the CBI concluded in its charge sheet that leasing out properties was administrative irregularities. There were no proceeds of crime, no undue advantage and loss to government exchequer.
It was also argued that Salaries were paid to the workers for the work done by those employees. No undue advantage by the applicant. No recovery effected from the applicant.
It was also submitted that on 28 September 2022 accused was granted bail in ACB FIR.
It was held in the order 32 contractual employees were paid Rs. 3 crores salaries through banking channel. No employee repaid the salary to the applicant. It means there is no undue advantage.