Enforcement Directorate Attaches Jauhar University Assets Over Alleged Non-Genuine Donations

The Enforcement Directorate has attached land and buildings worth ₹1,170 crore belonging to the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University Trust in a provisional order. The trust is founded and controlled by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.

Financial Findings

The agency stated that the trust received donations totaling ₹12.29 crore from non-genuine sources. Om Prakash Agarwal, general secretary of the City Educational and Social Welfare Society and KSD Charitable Trust, told the agency he donated ₹5.23 crore and ₹1 crore through those entities for construction. Agarwal claimed these contributions occurred under the political influence of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav at a 2012 gathering in Delhi, with Azam Khan present. Agarwal added that his wife Sarojini Agarwal, then a member of the legislative council, recommended construction work from her MLC fund following directions from SRS Yadav on behalf of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away in October 2022. The order further alleged that an unexplained donation of ₹5.6 crore came from an individual who failed to appear before the agency. Another firm, A&S Enterprises, reportedly gave ₹40 lakh in donations and received government contracts worth ₹25 crore in return. Azam Khan told the agency during questioning on October 13 inside Rampur District Jail that Agarwal may have donated on Mulayam Singh Yadav's advice for a noble cause.

Land and Construction Allegations

The Enforcement Directorate also alleged that about five hectares of government river land were enclosed within the university boundary wall without lawful authority. Citing an inquiry report by the Rampur district magistrate, the agency claimed 45 plots of enemy property at Singankheda village were leased to the trust in 2007 and canceled a month later, though the university kept possession. Certified copies from the Rampur sub-registrar office show 115 sale deeds executed for land acquired for ₹4.63 crore, bringing total campus land and construction costs to ₹499.09 crore. Azam Khan stated he could not recall how the land was acquired. The agency concluded the institution expanded through diverted government contract funds, construction material, execution of public works on its campus, and non-genuine donations, including projects worth ₹23.43 crore executed by UP Jal Nigam while Khan served as its chairman.

Reactions And Context

SP spokesperson Udaiveer Singh called the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, and Income Tax department frontal organisations of the BJP and described the proceedings as biased. State BJP chief spokesperson Dinesh Pratap Singh countered that the Samajwadi Party brands routine investigations as political vendetta and noted that courts have convicted Khan in several cases.

Context

The Enforcement Directorate operates under the Ministry of Finance to investigate financial crimes, money laundering, and violations of foreign exchange laws in India. Provisional attachment orders allow the agency to temporarily freeze properties suspected of being linked to proceeds of crime during ongoing investigations.