New Delhi [India], October 31 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday apprehended Samajwadi Party chief Mohammad Azam Khan in reference to its ongoing money-laundering investigation regarding the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, officers mentioned.
Azam Khan was apprehended quickly after he was launched from Rampur Jail. He shall be produced earlier than a particular Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) courtroom in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad tomorrow.
Officials mentioned {that a} crew from the ED’s Lucknow zonal workplace reached Rampur district jail earlier than his launch and apprehended him quickly after he got here out of the jail premises.
On October 13, the company had additionally questioned Azam Khan in Rampur Jail in the identical case. He was questioned within the barrack the place the chief was lodged.
The federal company then recorded Azam Khan’s assertion as a part of its probe into alleged diversion of presidency contract funds by way of personal contractors and their subsequent utilisation, together with for creation of property of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University.
The transfer comes nearly two-and-a-half months after the federal company performed searches at ten premises linked to Azam Khan in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in reference to the case below Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The search operation was launched on August 19, masking premises in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur and Saharanpur, in addition to Delhi.
The premises then searched included Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University linked to Azam Khan. Founded by Azam Khan in 2006, Mohammad Ali Jauhar University is a personal college in Rampur.
ED mentioned its investigation has to date revealed: ‘monetary transactions between sure contractors and the belief and contractors allegedly benefiting from Government contracts diverted funds in the direction of the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, together with substantial donations and development works.’
EF is investigating the case to hint the proceeds of crime, monetary information, paperwork and digital proof regarding alleged diversion and utilisation of presidency funds.
Azam Khan has been sentenced to 2 years in jail in a case associated to his alleged “cleaning shoes” objectionable comment in opposition to authorities officers, together with the then Collector-cum-District Magistrate, throughout the 2019 Lok Sabha election marketing campaign.
A ten-time MLA from Rampur Sadar and former Cabinet minister, Azam Khan has been one of many Samajwadi Party’s most outstanding Muslim faces and a long-standing influential determine. He has been lodged in Rampur district jail since November final yr after his conviction in a forgery case.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has connected the land and constructing of Samajwadi Party chief Mohammad Azam Khan’s Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, with a ebook worth of Rs 426 crore and an estimated present market worth of Rs 1,170 crore, the company mentioned on Wednesday.
The apprehension comes days after the company on October 28 connected the land and constructing of Azam Khan’s Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, with a ebook worth of Rs 426 crore and an estimated present market worth of Rs 1,170 crore.
ED’s Lucknow zonal workplace had connected the Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur-based land and buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University below 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 also be the honorary Chancellor of the University.
ED initiated an investigation below PMLA on the premise of 26 FIRs registered at Police Station Azeem Nagar in Rampur below Section 384 of 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 has mentioned, 45 plots of enemy property measuring about 34 acres at Singhankhera village have 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 assertion earlier mentioned.
During the investigation, ED has discovered that ‘funds meant for public works have been diverted to the University, authorities works have been executed on its personal campus, and funds from contractors who had been allotted authorities contracts have been routed again to the Trust as donations.’
ED shared this info with the Uttar Pradesh Police below Section 66(2) of PMLA, on the premise 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 below 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, have been demolished with bulldozers by a mob allegedly led by the then Circle Officer and others on the directions of Azam Khan.
ED has mentioned that the occupants have been assaulted, threatened with false legal 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 below PMLA revealed that contractors, principally based mostly in Rampur, diverted funds and development materials from the federal government contracts to the development of the University.
ED has 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 development materials for the University.
‘The companions of one other agency admitted that they operated below the affect of Azam Khan, and the agency donated Rs 40 lakh to the Trust.’
It can also be revealed that, in related findings, the Income Tax Department has revoked the registration of the Trust below the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
‘Investigation additional revealed that varied works value Rs 6.60 crore have been executed on the personal campus of the University out of the MLA/MLC native space growth funds. These works have 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 Meerutbased 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,’ the company has mentioned.
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 bought or transferred; and that it might be made obtainable freed from price for using the state authorities, it has additionally mentioned.
However, by a subsequent order in 2016, ED mentioned, these circumstances have 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 have 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 below his Urban Development Department.
‘The District Valuation Officer, who’s an impartial valuer, in his report dated November 10, 2023, has assessed the price of development 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 whole price of the campus is subsequently Rs 499.09 C 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 have been discovered to be non-genuine, which leaves solely Rs. 66.03 crore as real expenditure by the Trust for development 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 reputable 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 below the provisions of PMLA.
Earlier within the prompt case, ED had performed searches on August 19 on the premises of the University and associated premises, throughout which digital gadgets and incriminating information have been seized. (ANI)