Waqf Board case: Delhi court grants bail to Amanatullah Khan 

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan in connection with the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) complaint over non-compliance of its summons in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. 

The judge granted him bail on a bail bond of Rs 15,000 and a surety of the like amount.

Khan appeared before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra of Rouse Avenue Court upon the summons issued to him by the court.

Last time, the ED had told the court that Khan was issued seven summons by the agency and that it would not withdraw its complaint.

Recently, the ED had questioned the AAP legislator in its office in the national capital for over 13 hours in the case.

Even the Supreme Court had recently refused to entertain his plea seeking anticipatory bail. The top court had voiced its displeasure over the MLA skipping ED summonses.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Simon Benjamin, appearing for ED, had last time said that the ED will not withdraw its complaint, unlike the application seeking issuance of a non-bailable warrant against the accused.

"He committed the offence of noncompliance of summons; therefore, this complaint was filed," the SPP had said.

About ED questioning the legislator recently, it is noteworthy that Khan had arrived at the ED office after he was directed by the Supreme Court to join the probe, and he had left the agency’s office post-midnight the next day after over 13 hours of quizzing in the case.

The sources had said that Khan was allowed to leave after questioning, however, he can be summoned again to join the probe.

The probe agency has alleged that Khan, previously a witness, later became an accused in the case by seeking anticipatory bail and evading investigation.

SPP Benjamin had earlier stressed on Khan's pivotal role in the matter, saying that his involvement surpasses that of other accused who have already been apprehended and charged.

The ED had cited Khan's non-cooperation as a hindrance in the conclusion of the investigation.

On March 11, the Delhi High Court refused anticipatory bail to AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan in the case.

The allegation is related to Khan's alleged wrongful appointment as Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board.

The ED had filed the chargesheet against Zeeshan Haider, his partnership firm Skypower, Javed Imam Siddiqui, Dawood Nasir, and Qausar Imam Siddiqui in the case.

The case pertains to a property worth Rs 36 crore in Okhla being allegedly acquired with illicit funds, purportedly influenced by Khan, who reportedly handed over Rs 8 crore in cash.

During the investigation, the ED considered FIRs filed earlier by the CBI, ACB, and the Delhi Police.

The ED said that the property was bought at Khan's behest and presented with evidence of Rs 27 crore cash transaction.

--IANS

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