Delhi Court Grants Bail to AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in Waqf Board Case

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was granted bail by the Delhi Rouse Avenue court on Saturday in a case registered on the complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate against him for not appearing before the agency in the case related to the alleged irregularities in appointment in Delhi Waqf Board.

New Delhi: The Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan in connection with the Enforcement Directorate's recent complaint filed against him for alleged non-attendance of the summons in Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. Amanatullah Khan appeared before the court following summons issued to him by the court.

The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), Divya Malhotra, noted his presence, granting him bail on a personal bond of Rs 15,000 and one surety of like amount. ED recently had moved a complaint against him for not appearing before the agency and not joining the probe in the case related to the alleged irregularities in appointment in Delhi Waqf Board and leasing of its properties.

ED's complaint was moved under section 174 of the IPC, 1860, read with section 63 (4) of PMLA, 2002 for non-attendance in compliance of Section 50, PMLA, 2002. Special public prosecutor (SPP) Simon Benjamin appeared for the Enforcement Directorate in the matter. The federal probe agency has alleged that Amanatullah Kham has elevated his role from witness to accused by filing an anticipatory bail plea and running away from the investigation.

ED's lawyer further stated that they were never able to conclude the probe against him because he was not presenting himself before the agency. All the other people are the aides of this particular person. His role is much larger than that of the other accused persons who have already been arrested and charge-sheeted, Advocate Simon Benjamin added.

The Rouse Avenue court on March 1 dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan. This case is related to the purchase of a property worth Rs 36 crore in the Okhla area at the alleged behest of Amanat Ullah Khan, who is also the sitting MLA from that area. A charge sheet has already been filed against four accused persons and one firm.

It has been alleged that Rs 100 crore Waqf Properties were given on lease illegally. It is also alleged that 32 contractual employees were appointed in the Delhi Waqf Board during the chairmanship of Amanat Ullah Khan, who flouted the rules.