Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Azam Khan has challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) before the Supreme Court, after the agency detained him outside Rampur jail shortly following his release on bail in a separate criminal case.
The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant by advocate Nizam Pasha. The Chief Justice agreed to take up the case for hearing this week.
Khan was arrested on October 31 in connection with a money laundering investigation involving alleged financial irregularities linked to Mohammad Ali Jauhar University.
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ghaziabad subsequently remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody on November 1.
Arrest Followed High Court Bail Order
The ED detained Khan shortly after he and his son Abdullah Azam were released from Rampur jail on October 31.
Their release followed an October 29 order of the Allahabad High Court granting them bail in the dual PAN card case.
While granting relief, the High Court suspended Khan’s 10-year prison sentence in the case but declined to stay his conviction.
An ED team waiting outside Rampur jail took Khan into custody in connection with the separate money laundering proceedings.
Money Laundering Case Linked to Jauhar University
The ED investigation concerns allegations that agricultural land belonging to farmers was forcibly occupied for Mohammad Ali Jauhar University.
The agency initiated money laundering proceedings against Khan and others on the basis of approximately 26 first information reports (FIRs) registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police in 2019.
Khan has now approached the Supreme Court questioning his arrest immediately after securing release from prison in the dual PAN card case. His challenge is expected to be heard this week.
