Waqf case: Delhi HC issues notice to AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on ED's plea

New Delhi [India], February 13 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan on a plea filed by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
The ED challenged a trial court order that had ordered the release of Khan in a money laundering case connected to alleged irregularities in the recruitment process of the Delhi Waqf Board during his tenure as chairman.
The bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan has stayed the trial court proceedings in the matter till the next date of hearing, which is March 21, 2025.
The Predecessor Bench of the Delhi High Court had directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to present the various orders issued by the trial court in the case. The court remarked that the issue of sanction was a crucial matter, instructing the ED to first address it directly. The court emphasised that the ED needed to take a clear stance on the issue, rather than merely listing it as a reason in their petition, as this would be subject to contestation.
Advocate Zoheb Hossain represented the Enforcement Directorate in the matter.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently approached the Delhi High Court, challenging the trial court's decision to release Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. This case involves alleged money laundering related to the purchase of a property worth Rs 36 crore.
The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi earlier had ordered the release of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in a money laundering case connected to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board. The court also declined to take cognisance of the chargesheet filed against him.
The trial court judge declined to take cognisance of the case against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, citing the absence of the necessary sanction to prosecute him. The court ordered his release on a bond of Rs 1 lakh, with a like amount for surety.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a supplementary chargesheet on October 29, 2024, naming Amanatullah Khan and Mariam Siddiqui. Khan was arrested on September 2, 2024, while Siddiqui was charged without arrest.
The court acknowledged the presence of sufficient evidence against Khan but ruled that, without the required sanction for prosecution, it could not proceed with the case. In contrast, the court found no evidence against Mariam Siddiqui and discharged her from the case.
The ED previously informed the trial court that proceeds of crime were used to purchase a Rs 36 crore property in Okhla, allegedly under Khan's direction, with Rs 27 crore paid in cash. The ED linked the transaction to Khan through a diary and WhatsApp messages that mention his involvement, including a message saying, "Netaji ko paisa pahuncha diya," which matched the timing of the financial transaction.
The ED also claimed that Khan, who served as Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board from 2016 to 2023, tampered with his mobile phone during a search on October 10, 2023, deleting critical data from the device.