SP leader Azam Khan sent to 14 days of judicial custody in money laundering case

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mohammad Azam Khan was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody on Sunday, a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him in connection with a money laundering case linked to Jauhar University.

The Ghaziabad MP-MLA Court issued the order, directing that Khan remain in judicial custody until November 13.

Speaking to reporters, the SP leaders' lawyer, Danish Ali, said: "Today, Azam Khan has been remanded to judicial custody. We argued that since this is a 2019 case, the authorities could have taken action through a B-Warrant when he was already in custody. There has also been a violation of Section 19."

"The ED has sought his custody to further interrogate him," he added.

The ED's arrest of the Samajwadi Party leader on Saturday came shortly after the agency provisionally attached land and buildings belonging to Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh. The properties, valued at Rs 426.46 crore, were attached as part of a money laundering investigation involving the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, Azam Khan and others.

The latest legal setback for Azam Khan comes shortly after he and his son, Abdullah Khan, secured temporary relief from the Allahabad High Court. On Thursday, the court suspended their sentences in the dual PAN card case and granted them bail.

As part of the money laundering probe, the ED has attached university assets whose current estimated market value is around Rs 1,170 crore.

According to the ED, the university campus, situated in Jauhar Nagar in Singhankhera village of Rampur, is owned by the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. The trust was established and is controlled by Azam Khan, who also serves as the university's honorary Chancellor.

The investigation originated from 26 FIRs registered at the Azeem Nagar police station in Rampur, alleging that agricultural land belonging to farmers had been forcibly acquired for the university.

The ED further stated that an inquiry by the district administration found that nearly 34 acres of enemy property in Singhankhera village had allegedly been occupied for the university despite the cancellation of its land lease. The property has since been reclaimed by the Custodian of Enemy Property through the district administration.