AAP Alleges MLA Amanatullah Khan Arrested By Enforcement Directorate

Less than a month after arresting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the Enforcement Directorate has taken an AAP MLA, Amanatullah Khan, into custody in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board, the party has claimed. 

Delhi Minister Atishi and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh are at the house of the Okhla MLA and the Delhi unit of the party has posted on X that Mr Khan's alleged arrest is another chapter in the "BJP's failed attempts to finish off the Aam Aadmi Party". 

Mr Khan was the chairman of the Waqf Board between 2018 and 2022 and the Enforcement Directorate, which is investigating a money laundering angle, has alleged that the MLA acquired "huge proceeds of crime" in cash through illegal recruitment of staff in the Board, which manages Waqf properties.  

The ED has claimed he invested the money to purchase assets in the name of his associates.

On Monday, the Supreme Court had refused to grant anticipatory bail to the AAP MLA in the case and asked him to join the investigation today. The bench had, however, cautioned the ED against "unnecessarily exercising" its right to arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"You arrest him in case there is material. In case, there is no material, do not arrest him. You have to follow Section 19 of the PMLA. Right to arrest should not be taken for granted," the bench had said. 

In a message posted on X, the MLA said in Hindi that central agencies have been after him and have troubled him for over a year and a half. "Their attempt has been to get me to resign. They want me to leave Arvind Kejriwal and testify against him. Because I haven't done that, they have arrested me. I want to assure the people of Okhla that, despite my arrest, we will continue to work for the area like we have so far."

(With inputs from agencies)

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