ED moves HC against Amanatullah Khan’s release

Enforcement Directorate moves Delhi High Court against release of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in money laundering case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday moved the Delhi High Court against a lower court order releasing from jail Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Amanatullah Khan in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in appointments at the Delhi Waqf Board during his tenure as its chairman.

Citing the absence of a sanction from the competent authority to prosecute him, the Rouse Avenue court had observed that in such circumstances, his further incarceration would be “illegal”.

Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri of the High Court asked the ED to place before it various orders passed by the lower court in the case.

“The issue of sanction is staring at you. You have to first show it to me. You have to take a concrete stand on the issue (of sanction) and not by mentioning it as a ground in your petition because this will be contested,” Justice Ohri said.

Mr. Khan was arrested on September 2 under the provisions of the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the Central agency conducted a search at his Okhla residence.

He was released by the lower court on November 14 despite the ED claiming that there existed sufficient evidence to prosecute him.

The money laundering probe against him stems from two FIRs — the CBI’s case in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Waqf Board and an alleged disproportionate assets case registered by the Delhi Police’s anti-corruption unit.