ED raids Azam Khan-linked Jauhar University

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into Azam Khan, a Samajwadi Party leader who is imprisoned, by conducting searches at about 10 sites associated with him, his trust, and the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on Wednesday.

Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, a private university founded by Azam Khan in Rampur in 2006, has faced many controversies over its land, construction, and finances. Several ED teams, supported by local police and security, are conducting searches as part of a money-laundering investigation led by the Lucknow office under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The searches started early in the morning and took place at buildings in Rampur, Saharanpur, and Delhi. Among the locations were the Jauhar University campus in Rampur and the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, both of which were connected to Khan. 

The operation targets properties and organisations linked to the senior Samajwadi Party leader, who remains in custody. The university, founded almost twenty years ago in Rampur, Khan’s political stronghold, has often faced criticism over its land, construction, and finances.

The ED’s latest action is taking place against this background. Officers arrived at the listed locations early in the morning, secured the sites, and then carefully checked the files.
In Rampur, attention remained entirely focused on the university campus, with the academic buildings, administrative offices, and other associated facilities under review. At the same time, other teams entered Saharanpur to search for additional premises linked to Khan and the trust. In Delhi as well, other locations linked to the same network of organisations were included in the coordinated operation.

The Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, which is closely tied to Azam Khan and helps run the university, is a main focus of the investigation. Investigators are reviewing financial records, land documents, and construction papers related to both the trust and the university. 

These searches are being conducted under Section 17 of the PMLA, which authorises the agency to act in money-laundering cases. The day, ensuring the process remained orderly across the multiple sites. The presence of security arrangements reflected the scale of the operation, which spans two sites.

Azam Khan, who has been a leading figure in Uttar Pradesh politics for many years, has faced several legal proceedings in recent years. The current inquiry into money laundering is once again part of the agency’s focus on the financial matters connected to the institutions Azam Khan, a long-time political leader in Uttar Pradesh, has faced several legal cases in recent years. The current money-laundering inquiry is part of the agency’s ongoing focus on his financial connections to various institutions and trusts. Because the university has a history of controversies over land, buildings, and finances, it is a key focus for investigators.

During the searches, ED officials collected documents and materials from different locations, which will now be reviewed at the Lucknow office as the investigation continues. The simultaneous searches enabled the teams to cover the widely dispersed locations efficiently. Starting at the university in Rampur and including sites in Saharanpur and several places in Delhi, the simultaneous searches showed the thorough manner in which the Enforcement Directorate was proceeding.

The exact details of what was seized have not yet been shared, as the materials are still being examined. However, the fact that both the Jauhar University campus and the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust were searched shows how important these organisations are to the money-laundering case. The university’s long history of controversies since 2006 remains the backdrop for this investigation.

The ED’s Lucknow office is in charge of operations, with several teams working across multiple locations simultaneously. The searches went smoothly with support from local police and security, starting early in the morning and continuing throughout the day. This step further highlights the financial and institutional issues linked to Azam Khan.