The Supreme Court on November 5, 2026, transferred Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's petition challenging his Enforcement Directorate arrest to the Allahabad High Court, directing a hearing on November 16. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant requested consideration of interim relief that day. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal questioned the timing of Khan's arrest following his release in another case. The ED investigation concerns alleged financial irregularities involving Jauhar University. The Supreme Court expressed no opinion on the merits.
Azam Khan Money Laundering Case: Supreme Court Refuses Bail Plea, Allahabad High Court to Hear Matter on November 16
The Supreme Court has refused to hear the bail plea of senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in an Enforcement Directorate money laundering case and referred the petition to the Allahabad High Court.
Azam Khan's money laundering case took a major turn on Thursday after the Supreme Court refused to hear the petition of a senior Samajwadi Party leader seeking bail in the new case of the Enforcement Directorate.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi transferred the petition to the Allahabad High Court and directed the matter to be heard at an early date.
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to list Khan's petition before a division bench on 16th November, 2026.
An important procedural development in the case came when the top court further asked the high court to pass interim orders on the bail petition on November 16 itself.
Kapil Sibal raises questions over the Enforcement Directorate Arrest
Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, representing Azam Khan, alleged the ED’s action was “mala fide” and questioned the timing of his client’s arrest.
Khan was arrested soon after he was released from jail, even after he had got bail in another case of having two PAN cards, Sibal said.
During the proceedings in the Supreme Court, Sibal said the arrest appeared to be an attempt to keep Khan in jail during the elections.
He is reported to have stated that the authorities wanted his client to stay in prison during the elections. Khan’s lawyer made the allegations during the hearing.
The Supreme Court ruling does not rule on the merits of the money laundering charges or establish Khan’s guilt. His bail plea will now be placed before the Allahabad High Court.
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Jauhar Trust Case and Timeline of Azam Khan's Arrest
The Enforcement Directorate on October 31, 2026, arrested the 78-year-old Samajwadi Party veteran in a money laundering probe linked to the Jauhar Trust.
The arrest came shortly after Azam Khan and his son, Abdullah Azam Khan, were granted bail from Rampur jail in an alleged dual PAN card case.
Khan was produced before a special court in Ghaziabad in connection with the money laundering proceedings on November 1, his lawyer said.
The case relates to alleged financial irregularities in the Jauhar Trust, but the allegations have yet to be tested in the courts.
Allahabad High Court Hearing Scheduled for November 16
The next major development will come on November 16 when a division bench of the Allahabad High Court will hear Khan’s bail petition.
The Supreme Court’s interim orders, which are much sought after, could determine the near-term course of his legal battle, but the outcome remains unclear.
What is significant politically is Khan’s position in the Samajwadi Party, and the timing of it is worrying his counsel.
Sprouts News will track the Supreme Court hearings, the Allahabad High Court hearing, and further developments in the Azam Khan money laundering case.
