Delhi court grants bail to AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in Waqf Board case

Waqf Board Case: In a significant development in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Amanatullah Khan.

In Short

• Court dismisses probe agency ED's supplementary chargesheet
• Khan's release ordered due to lack of prosecution sanction
• No evidence against Mariyam Siddiqui found

In a significant development in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Amanatullah Khan. The court has declined to take cognisance of the supplementary chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Khan and others.

The Rouse Avenue Court issued an order for Khan's release from jail, stating that the necessary sanction to prosecute him was not obtained. The court also observed that there was no evidence to proceed with the case against Mariyam Siddiqui, who was also named in the supplementary charge sheet.

This case involves the alleged purchase of land worth Rs 36 crore in the Okhla area.

The ED had filed the supplementary charge sheet against Khan and Siddiqui, but the court noted that the proper approval for prosecuting the AAP leader was not obtained from the concerned authorities. As a result, the court ordered his immediate release.

While the court acknowledged that there was sufficient evidence against Khan, it emphasised that without the necessary sanctions, the trial could not proceed. The court added that once the required sanction is obtained, it could then consider taking cognisance of the charge sheet.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on October 29 filed a supplementary chargesheet against Aam Aadmi Party MLA and former Delhi Waqf Board Chairman Amanatullah Khan in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the Delhi Waqf Board case.

The chargesheet also named a woman, Mariam Siddiqui, though the ED did not arrest her during the investigation. The Rouse Avenue Court is set to hear the matter on November 4.

Amanatullah Khan was previously arrested in connection with this case on September 2 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED accused Khan of laundering funds obtained through corrupt practices during his tenure at the Waqf Board (2016-2021) and using the money for real estate investments.

The ED’s probe was based on an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the Prevention of Corruption Act, alleging illegal appointments of employees in the Delhi Waqf Board, which caused significant financial losses to the government.