Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday reserved its decision on whether to take cognizance of a supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case.
The chargesheet implicates Aam Aadmi Party leader Amanatullah Khan and his second wife, Mariam Siddiqui. Special Judge Jitendra Singh has set November 14 as the date for the order on cognizance.
During the hearing, the ED alleged that Amanatullah Khan had directed the purchase of a property worth Rs.36 crore in Okhla, with Rs.27 crore paid in cash. As per ED, these funds, believed to be proceeds of crime, were used to buy the property in Siddiqui’s name.
Special Judge Jitendra Singh pressed the ED for specifics on Khan’s involvement in the alleged money laundering activities. In response, the ED pointed to evidence including a diary and WhatsApp conversations. The agency stated that Khan’s name appeared repeatedly in a diary kept by Kausar Imam Siddiqui, where financial transactions appeared alongside entries referencing Khan.
They also cited a WhatsApp message reading, “Netaji ko paisa pahuncha diya,” with corresponding financial movements on the same day as additional proof.
Further, the ED claimed that during a search conducted on October 10, 2023, Amanatullah Khan allegedly tampered with his mobile device, deleting key data that could have been relevant to the investigation.
Khan, who served as Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board from 2016 to 2023, was arrested by the ED from his residence in Okhla in connection with this money laundering investigation, which is tied to alleged irregularities in appointments within the Waqf Board during his tenure.
The ED’s supplementary chargesheet, which spans 110 pages, also names Mariam Siddiqui as a co-accused. However, the ED has not arrested Siddiqui.
The chargesheet and subsequent investigation represent a significant escalation in the probe into alleged financial misappropriations linked to Khan’s position with the Delhi Waqf Board, marking a critical juncture in the ongoing case.
