ED files chargesheet in Waqf Board case involving AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday filed a charge sheet in a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of staff and leasing of assets of the Delhi Waqf Board during the chairmanship of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, official sources said.

A total of five entities have been named in the prosecution complaint (charge sheet) that includes three alleged associates of Khan-- Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui-- who were arrested by the central agency in November 2023, apart from some others, they said.

Khan, the 49-year-old legislator who represents the Okhla constituency in the Delhi assembly, has not been named as an accused.

The agency, after conducting raids against Khan and some others in October last year, had claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA acquired "huge proceeds of crime" in cash from illegal recruitment of staff in the Delhi Waqf Board and invested these for purchasing immovable assets in the name of his associates.

The searches, the ED said in a statement, were conducted in the case related to illegal recruitment of staff in Delhi Waqf Board and illegal personal gains by way of unfairly leasing of Waqf Board properties during the chairmanship of the board by Amantullah Khan during 2018-2022.

The money laundering case stems from a CBI FIR and three Delhi Police complaints.

Khan, the ED said, "acquired huge proceeds of crime out of the said criminal activities in cash and this cash amount was invested in purchase of various immovable properties in Delhi in the name of his associates."

Several "incriminating" materials in the form of physical and digital evidence were seized during the raids which "indicate" the role of Khan in the offence of money laundering, it had said.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had alleged there was a campaign underway to end the AAP and asserted that false cases are being filed against party leaders.