Amanatullah dealt in tainted cash transactions; avoided probe: ED

New Delhi: AAP MLA A manatullah Khan was dealing with “ill-gotten” money and indulged in “tainted” cash transactions to purchase an immovable property in Delhi, the Enforcement Directorate alleged on Tuesday.

The federal agency has arrested the 50-year-old legislator from Okhla on Monday after conducting a search at his house. He was produced before a local court the same day that sent him to four-day ED custody. The agency also charged him with “non cooperation” and “avoiding investigation” in the case claiming he only appeared once out of the 14 summonses sent to him to depose and get his statement recorded by the investigating officer.

The money laundering case against the AAP MLA stems from two FIRs, one by the Delhi ACB and the other filed by the CBI to probe alleged irregularities committed during his tenure as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board from 2016-2021.

He was been charged by the ED and the CBI with committing illegalities in the appointment of Group C and D employees in the Delhi Waqf Board (DWB) causing a wrongful loss to the government apart from a claimed “misuse and abuse” of his official position as the Waqf Board Chairman in allotment of the tenancy of properties of the DWB without following proper procedure.

His party has stoutly defended Khan, claiming he had been framed in a “false” case like its other leaders for raising their voice against the BJP. Probe found, the ED said in a statement, that under the directions of Khan, his alleged aides Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir managed his “ill-gotten” money during his tenure as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board and used these funds to make cash payments via a person Kausar Imam Siddiqui for the purchase of property at 275-276, TTI Tikona Park in Okhla area of Delhi that belongs to Jawed Imam Siddiqui. “Huge cash deposits in the bank accounts of Jawed Imam Siddiqui and his wife (were made) and the handwritten noting by Kausar Imam Siddiqui in the seized diary pertains to the same tainted cash transactions made on behalf of Amanatullah Khan for the purchase of the said property at Tikona Park,” the ED claimed.

It said Khan was issued 14 summons but he appeared in response to only one summon (in April), that too on the directions of the Supreme Court. The agency said it has filed two complaints before a local court for non compliance of the summons. For the summons issued on January 1, Khan responded stating that he will not be able to appear on account of Republic Day.

Then, for the next three summons, he filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court and used it as an excuse for non-appearance, the ED said. For the next summons issued on February 16, he did not provide any response. Subsequent to the dismissal of this writ petition, he “failed” to appear for the next three summons stating he has filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Delhi High Court and before the apex court too, it said. The Supreme Court “dismissed” his anticipatory bail plea and directed Khan to cooperate in the investigation and to appear on April 18, which he did, and committed to cooperate with investigating proceedings, the agency said. However, he “did not cooperate” and started “avoiding” investigation on one pretext or the other. When the summon was issued on April 19, Khan cited his mother’s ill health and sought 10 days. He was allowed that time and was asked to appear on May 1. However, he did not appear on that date citing his commitments to campaign for Lok Sabha elections. For the next two summons, he cited his ill health as the reason for non-appearance and sought an adjournment for another four weeks.

After four weeks, the ED summoned him again on July 8 but he cited his 5th semester BA exams and sought an adjournment for four weeks, the ED said. When the last summon was issued on July 26, he cited his mother-in-law’s ill health for adjournment, it said. The agency has also filed a charge sheet in this case in January before a special PMLA court here and it named Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, Kausar Imam Siddiqui and Jawed Imam Siddiqui as accused.