The Enforcement Directorate has conducted searches at around 10 locations linked to jailed Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, Mohammad Ali Jauhar University and the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. Searches were carried out in Rampur, Saharanpur and Delhi as investigators examined alleged financial transactions involving government contracts, private contractors and entities associated with the university and trust. The ED is scrutinising financial records and digital evidence to trace suspected proceeds of crime. The allegations remain under investigation and do not establish criminal liability.
ED Raids Azam Khan-Linked Jauhar University as 10 Locations Across UP and Delhi Are Searched
The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at around 10 places associated with jailed Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, his trust, and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University.
The ED on Wednesday morning conducted raids at properties linked to Azam Khan in Rampur and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and at various places in Delhi, officials said.
Searches are ongoing at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University premises in Rampur and Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust affiliated to Azam Khan.
The Enforcement Directorate’s Lucknow zonal office is investigating the money laundering case under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Several ED squads are conducting searches, aided by local police and security personnel, and investigators are going through financial records and electronic evidence.
ED Investigation Focuses On Alleged Diversion Of Contract Funds
Officials said the probe is examining allegations that money from government contracts was funneled through private contractors and then to the trust and the university.
Investigators are scrutinizing dealings with contractors, who are accused of bilking government contracts and then passing the money to the trust or university.
Officials said such transfers were allegedly made as donations or payments for construction work done for properties linked to the institutions.
The agency is trying to trace suspected proceeds of crime, gathering documents, financial records and digital evidence of the transactions.
The ED is also looking into whether the funds allegedly siphoned from government contracts were then used to build assets linked to the university and trust.
The searches are part of an ongoing probe, and the agency has not made public any finding of proven criminal liability arising from the allegations.
Also Read: Nidhi Agarwal Appears Before ED in Betting App Money Laundering Probe.
Why Mohammad Ali Jauhar University Is Under Scrutiny
Mohammad Ali Jauhar University is a private university situated in Rampur, founded in 2006 by Azam Khan. It has been involved in several controversies.
In the past, the institution has been involved in disputes over its land, construction activities and finances, and its management has been under constant legal and political scrutiny.
The fresh searches come amid a separate dispute involving alleged construction violations on university buildings and authorities in Rampur.
The Rampur Development Authority had taken objection to 38 of the 40 buildings of the university, saying these were constructed without necessary approvals.
The order to raze the structures had sparked a political controversy, but the divisional commissioner has stayed the proposed action temporarily.
Tazeen Fatma, wife of Azam Khan, had recently appealed to the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider the demolition decision, keeping in mind the interests of students and the general public.
The university row has also featured in the Samajwadi Party’s political campaign, especially over the proposed demolition of campus structures.
Fresh Legal Pressure On Azam Khan And Abdullah Azam
The ED’s latest action is the latest twist in the legal and political troubles of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, who is lodged in Rampur jail.
Authorities were still pursuing proceedings involving the family, with his son, Abdullah Azam, also in Rampur jail, the report said.
The searches are taking place amid heightened political scrutiny of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University and disputes over the future of several campus buildings.
As of Wednesday afternoon, it was not publicly known if investigators seized documents, electronic devices, financial records or other material during the searches, the Enforcement Directorate said.
Officials said the operation was still ongoing and that investigators were reviewing records and electronic evidence from locations covered in the operation.
The main legal difference for Sprouts News remains the same. Guilt is not derived from ED investigations.
The investigation will seek to determine whether the financial transactions identified by the authorities are proceeds of crime and whether there is evidence to justify any further legal action.
Subsequent developments will take place once the searches are completed and the financial and computer material seized from the premises and related premises is assessed.
