AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, on Saturday, was granted bail by Rouse Avenue Court in response to a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding his alleged failure to attend summons related to the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), Divya Malhotra acknowledged Khan’s presence, and held, “Offence u/s 174 IPC being bailable, accused is admitted to bail upon the furnishing of personal bond in the sum of Rs. 15,000/- with one surety of the like amount”. The ED had filed a complaint against Khan for not appearing before the agency and not cooperating with the investigation into purported irregularities in the appointment process and property leasing within the Delhi Waqf Board. This complaint was lodged under section 174 of the IPC, 1860, in conjunction with section 63(4) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, for non-compliance with Section 50 of the same act.Special Public Prosecutor Simon Benjamin, representing the Enforcement Directorate, alleged that Khan had transitioned from a witness to an accused individual by seeking anticipatory bail and evading investigation. The prosecutor stated that the probe couldn't reach a conclusion due to Khan's failure to cooperate.Furthermore, SPP Benjamin noted that Khan's involvement appeared more significant than that of other accused individuals, who had already been arrested and charged.Earlier, on March 1, the Rouse Avenue court had rejected Khan's anticipatory bail plea.This case revolves around the alleged purchase of a property worth ₹36 crore in the Okhla area, purportedly at Khan's instigation. Khan, who also serves as the MLA for the area, has been accused of illegal leasing of Waqf properties worth ₹100 crore and the irregular appointment of 32 contractual employees during his tenure as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, in violation of regulations.The Supreme Court had previously denied anticipatory bail to Khan in connection with a money laundering case. The case is related to suspected irregularities in the recruitment process of the Delhi Waqf Board.
TAGS: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan bail Enforcement Directorate (ED) Delhi Waqf Board money laundering irregularities investigation
