Delhi HC To Decide AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan's Anticipatory Bail Plea On March 11

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to pass an order on AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan's anticipatory bail application in the alleged Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering case on March 11. His anticipatory bail was earlier dismissed by the trial court.

The bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on March 4 kept the order reserved after hearing the arguments of both sides at length. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Rajat Bhardwaj appeared for Amanat Ullah Khan, while advocate Zoheb Hossain appeared for the Enforcement Directorate in the matter.

According to the petitioner's lawyers, applicant Amanat Ullah Khan is not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing or any violation of the provisions of the PMLA in any manner. His life and liberty must be protected from unwarranted and unjustified encroachment at the hands of the respondent on the basis of a false, malicious and motivated case without any merit.

Lawyers alleged that the applicant is being targeted by the investigating agency by alleging baseless and frivolous allegations against the applicant. ED has implicated the accused in a false and concocted story and no case is made out against the applicant. There are reasonable grounds believing that the applicant is innocent and has no involvement whatsoever in the alleged offence.

There is no bribe amount involved, therefore there is no generation of proceeds of crime, which leaves no scope of Applicant's involvement in any activity of placement, layering. and/or integration of any proceeds of crime and as such, there is no question of any violation of the provisions of the PMLA, argued Amanat's lawyers.

On the other hand, it was submitted by the ED's counsel that the petitioner has been issued several summons and he has been evading the same. The Rouse Avenue court on March 1 dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan.

According to the ED, the case is related to the purchase of a property worth Rs 36 crore in the Okhla area on the alleged behest of Amanat Ullah Khan, who is also sitting MLA from that area. In this case, the court has dismissed the bail application of three accused, namely Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.

A charge sheet was recently filed by the ED against four accused persons, including Qausar Imam Siddiqui. It has been alleged that Rs 100 crore Waqf Properties were given on lease illegally. It is also alleged that 32 contractual employees were appointed in Delhi Wagf Board during the chairmanship of Amanat Ullah Khan, flouting the rules. 

(ANI)