ED raids AAP’s Delhi MLA Amanatullah Khan in money-laundering probe
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday carried out searches at Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan’s Delhi home in connection with a money-laundering investigation. The corruption case is reportedly related to illegal appointments within the Delhi Waqf Board.
It is to be noted that the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has also filed a case against Khan. In 2022, the ACB had raided five places related to Khan in Delhi. Around Rs 12 lakh in cash, one unlicensed pistol, and cartridges of two different bores were recovered from the raid. CBI and Anti Corruption Bureau had registered separate FIRs regarding the scam in Waqf Board. Khan was also arrested by the ACB in the same case last year.
During the search at the residences of Khan’s close relatives, details and diaries of some money transactions were found. It is alleged that accounts of hawala transactions were written in the diary. There was also mention of transactions through hawala from foreign countries. After this, the Anti Corruption Bureau shared all this information with the ED.
Raids under PMLA
Now, the ED has raided Khan’s premises under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. There was an allegation of selling Waqf Board land and wrongfully appointing its people. The 49-year-old politician represents the Okhla constituency in the Delhi Assembly. Khan is also the Delhi Waqf Board chairman since November 2020.
The timings of these raids come as a surprise to AAP as party leader Sanjay Singh was arrested on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate. He was held in connection with a money laundering case linked with the Delhi liquor policy.
Delhi Waqf board graft case
Alleged irregularities were reported in the Delhi Waqf Board recruitment and it was being said that the AAP MLA, along with close aides, earned crores of rupees in the scam. Reportedly, a large number of people were employed by the Board in a wrongful manner, violating all norms and guidelines. It was further alleged that Khan misappropriated Delhi Waqf Board funds by comprising grants in aid from the Delhi government.