The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday questioned Aam Aadmi Get together MLA Amanatullah Khan for over 12 hours in reference to alleged irregularities in appointments to the Delhi Waqf Board, reported The Hindu.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in appointments and misappropriation of funds within the Delhi Waqf Board throughout Khan’s chairmanship between 2018 and 2022.
Late on Thursday, the MLA from Delhi’s Okhla constituency instructed media individuals that he was referred to as in for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate at 11 am following a course from the Supreme Court docket. “I used to be questioned and my assertion was recorded and now I’m leaving,” he stated.
#WATCH | Delhi: Amanatullah Khan, AAP MLA says, ” I used to be referred to as (by ED) for questioning, Supreme Court docket had directed me to look so I had come at 11:00 am. I used to be questioned and my assertion was recorded and now I’m leaving…” pic.twitter.com/rkxs9v1xpi
— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2024
Earlier within the day, the Aam Aadmi Get together alleged that Khan had been arrested by the central company. Get together leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Sanjay Singh additionally visited his residence after he had been taken in for questioning, reported Information 18.
Atishi stated the alleged arrest was an assault on the Aam Aadmi Get together forward of the Lok Sabha elections. “This can be a conspiracy to interrupt the Aam Aadmi Get together by scaring its MLAs,” she instructed reporters outdoors Khan’s residence. “However we won’t be scared.”
The Delhi unit of the Aam Aadmi Get together criticised Khan’s alleged arrest in a social media put up and stated that “democracy is at risk”.
“Right this moment, one other web page has been added to the record of BJP’s [ruling Bharatiya Janata Party] failed makes an attempt to destroy the Aam Aadmi Get together,” the get together stated.
लोकतंत्र ख़तरे में है,
तानाशाही बेलगाम है ‼️आम आदमी पार्टी को खत्म करने की भाजपा की नाकाम कोशिशों में आज एक और पन्ना जुड़ चुका है।
फर्जी मामला बना कर AAP विधायक @KhanAmanatullah को भाजपा की ED ने किया गिरफ़्तार। pic.twitter.com/GwmMFgE4fx
— Aam Aadmi Get together Delhi (@AAPDelhi) April 18, 2024
Khan had additionally posted on social media a pre-recorded message on Thursday forward of leaving the Enforcement Directorate’s workplace. The MLA alleged within the video that he had been arrested as he had not testified in opposition to Aam Aadmi Get together chief Arvind Kejriwal. He additionally stated the central companies had been troubling him for over a 12 months.
“Their try has been to get me to resign,” he may be heard saying within the video. “They need me to go away [Delhi chief minister] Arvind Kejriwal and testify in opposition to him.”
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate within the Delhi liquor coverage case on March 21 and is at the moment in Tihar Jail.
Delhi Waqf Board case
On September 16, 2022, the Anti-Corruption Department, which reviews to Delhi’s lieutenant governor, arrested Khan hours after the police performed raids at a number of places associated to the MLA.
Further Public Prosecutor Atul Kumar Shrivastava had claimed that officers discovered cash trails in Bihar, Gujarat, Telangana and Uttarakhand.
Khan was ultimately granted bail on September 28, 2022.
In October, the Enforcement Directorate performed searches at three premises linked to Khan within the nationwide capital and alleged that he had acquired Rs 4 crore in money for appointments to the Delhi Waqf Board and invested the “proceeds of crime” for buying immovable property within the title of his associates.
In January, the Enforcement Directorate had filed a chargesheet within the case. Nonetheless, Khan was not named as an accused individual.
On Monday, the Supreme Court docket dismissed Khan’s anticipatory bail petition within the case after the Enforcement Directorate had on April 11 moved a Delhi court docket searching for an arrest warrant in opposition to the legislator below the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act.
The Supreme Court docket directed Khan to heed the summons from the central company and cooperate within the investigation. He had been summoned on April 18.
Nonetheless, it additionally stated that the non-bailable warrant sought by the Enforcement Directorate in opposition to Khan wouldn’t be granted. It stated the Enforcement Directorate shouldn’t arrest Khan until there’s enough materials in opposition to him.
Khan moved the highest court docket after the Delhi Excessive Court docket refused to grant him anticipatory bail within the case on March 11.