A special Ghaziabad court on Sunday sent senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan to judicial custody for 14 days.
The SP veteran was produced before the special Ghaziabad court in connection with the money laundering case related to the Jauhar Trust, Khan’s lawyer Danish Ali told reporters. The order was given by Special Court Judge Avanish Kumar Pandey.
The SP heavyweight will spend 14 days at Ghaziabad’s Dasna District Jail, Khan’s advocate said. Earlier, Khan was brought to the court under heavy security as scores of his supporters stood outside the premises to catch a glimpse of their leader, who has been battling a series of legal cases filed against him over the past few years.
Khan has consistently dismissed these cases as part of a political conspiracy. On Saturday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Khan in the money laundering case shortly after he and his son Abdullah Azam Khan were released from Rampur jail on bail in an alleged dual PAN cards case. Advocate Ali said he had informed the court that section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act had been blatantly violated in this case. On the other hand, the ED lawyers strongly requested custody of the accused.
The investigating agency’s lawyers informed the court that it was essential to thoroughly interrogate the accused leader regarding financial transactions, transfer of benami properties, and other crucial evidence related to the entire case. The ED lawyers informed the court that face-to-face questioning of the accused was essential for a fair investigation and to uncover the truth.
The ED has registered a money laundering case against Khan and others, taking cognisance of 58 FIRs registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police against him and his alleged associates.
The agency on October 28 said it attached the land and buildings of Khan’s Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur under the anti-money laundering law. The assets have a current market value of Rs 1,170 crore.
The agency alleged that government funds meant for public works were diverted to construct the private university. It accused Khan of using his influence as the state’s cabinet minister for urban development and the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam to facilitate the alleged irregularities.
The Rampur Development Authority had ordered the demolition of 38 buildings on the university campus in July, following which the university filed an appeal.
The ED had conducted raids in the case in August and also questioned Khan.