AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan Arrested After 6 Hours Of House Raid In Waqf Board Case

Amanatullah Khan Custody: A Delhi court has reserved its order on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) application seeking a 10-day custody of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan in a high-profile money laundering case. Special Judge Rakesh Syal, who presided over the matter, is expected to deliver the order shortly.

Amanatullah Khan was brought before the court by the ED hours after his arrest at his residence in Okhla, Delhi, where the agency conducted a search earlier in the day. The ED contends that Khan needs to be confronted with other accused individuals and evidence in the case, alleging that he remained "evasive" during questioning.

The ED's request for custody is grounded in accusations that Khan, a key figure in the ongoing investigation, is involved in laundering money to acquire property. The agency claimed that Khan had been uncooperative, having responded to only one of 14 summonses issued, and that his arrest was necessary to advance the investigation.

The case against Khan is linked to two FIRs: one by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding alleged irregularities in the Delhi Wakf Board, and another by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) concerning alleged disproportionate assets. 

The ED has previously raided Khan's properties and alleged that he amassed substantial illegal earnings through staff recruitment irregularities and invested in real estate via associates. The agency has charged Khan with leveraging proceeds from these alleged crimes to purchase assets.

Amanatullah Khan's arrest is part of a broader crackdown on AAP leaders, which has also seen arrests of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former minister Satyendar Jain. Sisodia and Singh have since been released on bail.

The case against Amanatullah Khan includes a charge sheet filed in January naming Khan's alleged associates Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.