ED raids premises linked to Azam Khan’s trust in money laundering probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at premises linked to the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and its university, which are associated with jailed Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, as part of a money laundering investigation.

Officials said the searches covered around 10 locations in Rampur and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi’s Jamia Nagar. Central Reserve Police Force personnel accompanied the investigating teams.

The raids followed the registration of a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The premises searched included those connected to a chartered accountant in Saharanpur, two companies and their promoters allegedly associated with the trust.

According to ED officials, the investigation relates to allegations that funds from government contracts were diverted through private contractors and subsequently used to create assets for the trust and the university.

The Lucknow-headquartered Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust has Khan, a former Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister, as its principal trustee. Several members of his family and his associates are also linked to the organisation.

The trust operates the Muhammad Ali Jauhar University, established in 2006, as well as a public school in Rampur district.

The university was recently at the centre of another dispute after the Rampur Development Authority in July directed its administration to demolish 38 of its 40 buildings. The authority alleged that the structures had been built without approved plans in violation of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.

Students subsequently protested against the proposed demolition, arguing that it would disrupt their education. The divisional commissioner later stayed the action and ordered the authorities not to proceed until further directions were issued.

The Samajwadi Party and other opposition parties have accused the authorities of pursuing a political vendetta against Khan and the university. They have called on the administration to examine all legal aspects of the dispute before taking further action.

With PTI inputs