AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan took public funds meant for Delhi riot victims, says ED

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Amanatullah Khan opened an "unauthorised" bank account soliciting funds for Delhi riot victims and some of this public money was withdrawn in cash and handed over to him, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claimed Wednesday, October 30, after it filed a charge sheet against him.

According to news agency PTI, the federal probe agency filed the supplementary prosecution complaint against the Member of Legislative Assembly and his second wife Maryam Siddiqui before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi on Tuesday.

The case has been listed for hearing on November 4.

ED's money laundering case against Amanatullah Khan pertains to the alleged irregularities committed during his tenure as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board between 2016-2021, PTI reported.

"Amanatullah Khan, without taking any approval from the Delhi Waqf Board, floated 'Delhi Waqf Board Relief Committee'. In order to solicit funds in the name of the Delhi riot victims, Khan opened an unauthorised bank account in the name of Delhi Waqf Board Relief Committee and some of the funds obtained from the public were withdrawn in cash under the directions of Khan and were handed over to him," the agency said.

The Delhi riots took place in February, 2020.

'Amanatullah Khan also failed to furnish complete details of dependents'

According to ED, Amanatullah Khan also failed to furnish "the complete details of his dependents" in the election affidavit filed by him.

"Maryam Siddiqui was married to Amanatullah Khan and is a complete dependent of Amanatullah Khan. It is to be mentioned that she does not have any known source of income and has not filed any Income Tax Returns," ED said.

It claims that its investigation found that an immovable property worth Rs 19 lakh was purchased by the Okhla legislator four years ago "in the name of his second wife Smt Maryam Siddiqui and payment for the same was made partly in cash and partly from the amount received from his close associate Zeeshan Haider".

The agency alleged that Khan, along with his associates such as Haider and Daud Nasir, were "managing" the "ill-gotten money" during his tenure as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board and used the same to make "cash payments" via Kausar Imam Siddiqui, who is the legislator's alleged fund manager, for purchasing a property at 275-276, TTI Tikona Park in the Okhla area. This property belonged to Jawed Imam Siddiqui, stated PTI.

The probe agency further claimed that a seized white diary, "handwritten" by Kausar Imam Siddiqui, showed that cash payments worth Rs 27 crore were made by the MLA's close associates for the purchase of this property at Tikona Park.

ED said it found "huge amounts of suspicious cash deposits" in the bank accounts of property seller Jawed Imam Siddiqui and his wife.

Following their arrest by the ED, Khan, Haider, Daud Nasir, Kausar Imam Siddiqui and Jawed Imam Siddiqui are lodged in jail under judicial custody.

The first charge sheet in this case, against all the accused except Khan, was filed by ED in January.

The money laundering probe against Khan stems from two first information reports (FIRs): the Central Bureau of Investigation's case in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Waqf Board and an alleged disproportionate assets case registered by the Delhi Police's Anti-Corruption Unit.

(With PTI inputs)