ED attaches SP chief Azam Khan’s Jauhar University property value Rs 1,170 crore

New Delhi [India], October 28 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has connected the land and constructing of Samajwadi Party chief Mohammad Azam Khan’s Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, with a e book worth of Rs 426 crore and an estimated present market worth of Rs 1,170 crore, the company mentioned on Wednesday.

ED’s Lucknow zonal workplace connected the Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur-based land and buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University beneath the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), in reference to a cash laundering case in opposition to Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, Azam Khan (former Cabinet Minister of Uttar Pradesh authorities), and others. 

The University campus at Jauhar Nagar in Singhankhera village of Rampur district is held by the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, which was based and is managed by Azam Khan, who can be the honorary Chancellor of the University.  ED initiated an investigation beneath PMLA on the idea of 26 FIRs registered at Police Station Azeem Nagar in Rampur beneath Section 384 of the Indian Penal Code and different sections, alleging that agricultural land of farmers was forcibly taken over for the University. 

Citing the inquiry report of the Rampur district administration, ED mentioned, 45 plots of enemy property measuring about 34 acres at Singhankhera village had been additionally illegally occupied by Azam Khan for the University, even after the lease of this land to the Trust had been cancelled by the custodian. 

‘The possession of this land has been taken again by the custodian of Enemy Property, MHA, by way of the District Administration, Rampur,’ the company mentioned in an announcement.

During the investigation, ED discovered that ‘funds meant for public works had been diverted to the University, authorities works had been executed on its personal campus, and funds from contractors who had been allotted authorities contracts had been routed again to the Trust as donations.’

ED shared this info with the Uttar Pradesh Police beneath Section 66(2) of PMLA, on the idea of which FIR No. 0224/2026 dated October 13, 2026 was registered at Azeem Nagar Police Station in opposition to Azam Khan, the Trust and others beneath Sections 61, 316(5) and 318(4) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. 

ED has additionally taken up 28 different FIRs registered by the Rampur Police in opposition to Azam Khan and others for investigation, in most of which charge-sheets have been filed. These FIRs and chargesheets allege that, throughout 2016, the homes of a number of households in Rampur metropolis, a lot of them tenants of Waqf property, had been demolished with bulldozers by a mob allegedly led by the then Circle Officer and others on the directions of Azam Khan. 

ED mentioned the occupants had been assaulted, threatened with false prison circumstances, and robbed of their money, jewelry and cattle. ‘The particles of the demolished homes was transported to the University.’ 

The FIRs and chargesheets additional allege that cleansing equipment bought for the Rampur Nagar Palika was diverted to the University premises.

Investigation beneath PMLA revealed that contractors, principally primarily based in Rampur, diverted funds and building materials from the federal government contracts to the development of the University. 

ED mentioned the managing director of 1 such firm, which obtained PWD contracts value about Rs 186 crore, admitted that 30 to 40 per cent of the contract worth was used to purchase building materials for the University. 

‘The companions of one other agency admitted that they operated beneath the affect of Azam Khan, and the agency donated Rs 40 lakh to the Trust.’ 

It is additional revealed that, in comparable findings, the Income Tax Department has revoked the registration of the Trust beneath the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961.  ‘Investigation additional revealed that numerous works value Rs 6.60 crore had been executed on the personal campus of the University out of the MLA/MLC native space improvement funds. These works had been executed by the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, of which Azam Khan was then the Chairman. 

‘The Trust additionally obtained donations of Rs 6.24 crore from two Meerut-based instructional entities by way of political affect. It was additionally discovered that sanctions of Rs 23.41 crore got by the federal government of Uttar Pradesh for the development of a pandal, an OBC boys’ hostel and a hospital block within the personal campus of the University,’ mentioned the company.

The authorities order of 2015 sanctioning Rs 12.16 crore for the pandal stipulated that its possession would stay with the Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh’s authorities; that it couldn’t be offered or transferred; and that it will be made accessible freed from value for using the state authorities, it additionally mentioned.

However, by a subsequent order in 2016, ED mentioned, these situations had been altered. ‘The possession of the pandal was transferred to the Jauhar University, and the situation to be used by the state authorities was deleted. A public asset constructed with state funds was thus transformed into the personal property of the University,’ it mentioned.

In 2015 and 2016, when these orders had been issued, the federal company acknowledged that Azam Khan was a Cabinet Minister within the Uttar Pradesh authorities holding the portfolios of Urban Development and the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, which executed these works on the campus, functioned beneath his Urban Development Department.  ‘The District Valuation Officer, who’s an unbiased valuer, in his report dated  November 10, 2023, has assessed the price of building of the 59 buildings on the University campus at Rs 494.46 crore. The land of the University, acquired by way of 114 sale deeds, was valued at Rs. 4.63 crore. The complete value of the campus is due to this fact Rs 499.09 crore, ‘ it talked about.

Against this, the company mentioned, the Trust has proven capital expenditure of solely Rs 178.32 crore in its Income Tax Returns. 

‘Further, out of this quantity of Rs 78.32 crore, donations of Rs 12.29 crore had been discovered to be non-genuine, which leaves solely Rs. 66.03 crore as real expenditure by the Trust for building of buildings and acquisition of land for the University.’

In all, ED mentioned, solely Rs 72.63 crore of the price of the campus is defined from respectable sources. ‘Investigation thus revealed that the steadiness of Rs. 426.46 crore is the proceeds of crime on this case, which was generated by illegitimate means.’

The office-bearers of the Trust couldn’t substantiate the supply of this quantity of Rs 426.46 crore, which is proceeds of crime on this case, mentioned the ED.

Therefore, it mentioned, the land and buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University to the extent of Rs 426.46 crore, having a present market worth of roughly Rs 1,170 crore, have been provisionally connected beneath the provisions of PMLA.

Earlier within the instantaneous case, ED had performed searches on August 19 on the premises of the University and associated premises, throughout which digital gadgets and incriminating information had been seized. (ANI)