Probing corruption case, ED conducts raid on MLA Amanatullah’s residence

Samad Hoque

New Delhi, October 10

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids on the premises of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan over alleged corruption and illegal appointments in the Delhi Waqf Board. The 49-year-old, representing Okhla constituency in the Delhi Legislative Assembly,is being probed by the law enforcement agency under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Nothing Found, claims MLA

Amanatullah said the ED did not find anything during the 12-hour raid at his residence in Delhi and just took away his mobile phone. He said the CBI’s FIR didn’t include any corruption charge.

Raghav Chadha, while addressing a press conference at AAP’s headquarters, said, “MP Sanjay Singh was sent to jail on fabricated charges. Today the ED raided AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan’s residence.”

AAP workers protest

AAP workers held a protest hours after the ED raids. Several protesters were detained by the Delhi Police as they began marching from the AAP party office to the BJP headquarters.

Amanatullah was arrested by the ACB in September last year, but was later granted bail. The FIR stated that Khan, while working as the chairman of the board, had illegally recruited 32 people in violation of norms and guidelines of the government. He is accused of appointing his known people in the board.

“While releasing MLA Amanatullah Khan, the court criticised had the ACB and stated that there had been no evidence in this case, and he was arrested on false charges,” he further said.

The Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab said, “However, today, the BJP ordered a raid precisely because he is an AAP leader.”

AAP workers held a protest hours after the ED raids. Several protesters were detained by the Delhi Police as they began marching from the AAP party office to the BJP headquarters at the DDU Marg.

Meanwhile, Amanatullah said the ED did not find anything during a 12-hour raid at his residence here and just took away his mobile phone. Khan claimed that a 2016 CBI FIR against him in connection with recruitment conducted at the Delhi Waqf Board did not have any corruption charge and alleged that he was simply harassed by the ED.

“They did not get anything earlier, neither did they get anything this time,” Khan said in front of his Okhla residence after the raid.

(With PTI inputs)