Enforcement Directorate detains Azam Khan outside Rampur jail following bail

Enforcement Directorate officials detained senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on Saturday from outside the Rampur jail in Uttar Pradesh immediately after his release. The 78-year-old leader was apprehended in connection with an ongoing money laundering probe and is set to be produced before a PMLA court in Ghaziabad.

Bail and Charges

Just days prior on October 29, the Allahabad High Court suspended the prison sentences of Mr. Khan and his son Abdullah Azam Khan in an alleged dual PAN card case, granting them bail. However, federal agency officials moved in immediately upon his release, deploying a large contingent of central paramilitary forces and police personnel alongside Lucknow zone officials during the operation.

University Asset Seizure

The agency's investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act targets Mr. Khan, the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, and others. Earlier in the week, the probe agency attached land and buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, estimating their market value at approximately 1,170 crore rupees. According to the ED, investigation identified assets worth 426.46 crore rupees as alleged proceeds of crime, claiming that government funds, construction materials, and public works contractor donations were diverted to build the campus.

Reactions

Speaking out after being apprehended, Mr. Khan stated that the action was punishment for being a Muslim and building a university and schools for children. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on social media platform X, calling the action a cowardly move to trap an elderly person in frivolous cases. Senior SP leader Sudhir Panwar also condemned the arrest as political vendetta, noting that Mr. Khan is languishing in jail solely because he established an educational institution for disadvantaged sections.

Context

The Enforcement Directorate is a federal financial investigation agency in India that enforces economic laws and fights financial crime, including money laundering under the PMLA. High-profile actions involving political figures often spark sharp debates between ruling parties and opposition groups regarding the independence and use of central investigative agencies.