New Delhi: Three people have been taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering probe against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, which is connected to purported anomalies in the recruitment of staff for the Delhi Waqf Board, according to official sources on Saturday.
The 49-year-old lawmaker who represents the Okhla district in the Delhi assembly had his home raided by the agency last month.
Three people have been taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. Their identities were not immediately known.
The agency had alleged that Khan acquired "huge proceeds of crime" in cash from the illegal recruitment of staff in the Delhi Waqf Board and invested these for purchasing immovable assets in the name of his associates.
"The searches were conducted in the case related to illegal recruitment of staff in Delhi Waqf Board and illegal personal gains by way of unfairly leasing out of Waqf Board properties during the chairmanship of the board by Amantullah Khan during 2018-2022," the agency claimed in a statement.
It said a CBI FIR and three Delhi Police complaints formed the basis of the ED action against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA.
Khan, the ED said, "acquired huge proceeds of crime out of the said criminal activities in cash and this cash amount was invested in the purchase of various immovable properties in Delhi in the name of his associates." Several "incriminating" materials in the form of physical and digital pieces of evidence were seized during the raids which "indicate" the role of Khan in the offence of money laundering, it said.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had alleged there was a campaign underway to end the AAP and asserted that false cases are being filed against party leaders.
With PTI inputs