Delhi Waqf Board Case: Big Setback for Amanatullah Khan, SC Rejects Anticipatory Bail Plea

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain an anticipatory bail plea of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board during his chairmanship.

The Bench

Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta directed Khan to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on April 18 at 11 am regarding the case.

The bench expressed reservations about certain remarks made in the March 11 verdict of the Delhi High Court regarding the case’s merits, emphasizing that they would not affect the matter.

Trial Court

After Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court rejected his application for anticipatory bail in the case on March 1, the Okhla MLA had approached the Delhi High Court. Khan was not named as an accused in the recent charge sheet filed by the ED.

Enforcement Directorate Allegations

The central probe agency listed five individuals in its prosecution complaint, including three alleged associates of Khan- Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.

The ED stated that searches were conducted in connection with illegal staff recruitment and alleged illegitimate personal gains made by the accused through unfair leasing of Waqf Board properties during 2018-2022 when Khan chaired it. According to the ED, several “incriminating” materials in physical and digital form were seized during the raids, indicating Khan’s involvement in the offense of money laundering.

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