In a major operation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized a staggering amount of cash and jewellery, totalling crores of rupees, from a residential property in Delhi. The raid is part of an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Amanatullah Khan.
Massive Haul from Jangpura Residence
The federal probe agency conducted searches at a house in the Jangpura area of the national capital. During the operation, officials made a startling discovery. They found and confiscated Rs 5 crore in cash and gold and diamond jewellery valued at approximately Rs 8 crore. The total value of the seized assets amounts to a massive Rs 13 crore.
This action by the ED is connected to a money laundering case that stems from a previous First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The case revolves around allegations of illegal recruitment and financial irregularities within the Delhi Waqf Board during Khan's tenure as its chairman.
Connection to AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan
The seized property is reportedly linked to AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, who represents the Okhla constituency in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Khan has been under the scanner of central investigative agencies for some time. The ED's case is built upon the CBI's FIR, which accuses Khan and associates of corruption and improper appointments in the Waqf Board.
This is not the first time the MLA has faced legal heat. In a separate but related incident in 2022, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi also arrested Amanatullah Khan in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board's recruitment process. The recent ED raid signifies an intensification of the money laundering probe stemming from these earlier allegations.
Ongoing Investigation and Implications
The Enforcement Directorate's primary mandate is to investigate violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The discovery of such a large sum of cash and high-value jewellery at a residential property will form a crucial part of their evidence. The agency will now focus on tracing the origin of these funds and establishing whether they are proceeds of crime linked to the Waqf Board case.
This development is likely to have significant political ramifications in Delhi, given Khan's position as a sitting MLA from the ruling AAP. The seizure underscores the agency's continued scrutiny of political figures and adds a new chapter to the ongoing investigations into the affairs of the Delhi Waqf Board. The ED is expected to continue its probe and may summon individuals for questioning in the coming days.
