look news india
New Delhi, 14 November (HS). Delhi High Court has granted bail to Javed Imam Siddiqui in the money laundering case related to Delhi Waqf Board recruitment. The bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri ordered the grant of bail. In the same case, Rouse Avenue Court has today ordered the release of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan.
The court said that in general liberty is a right and it can be deprived only if proper legal procedure is followed. The accused has the right to a speedy trial and courts should take this into account while deciding on bail.
During the hearing, ED opposed the bail plea and said that Javed Imam Siddiqui misused his position while holding the post of Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board from March 2016 to October 2016. He gained financial benefits by appointing his relatives and other acquaintances to various posts. According to ED, during his tenure as Chairman, Javed Imam Siddiqui allotted the properties of Delhi Waqf Board without calling any tender. Many properties were tendered only at the reserve price.
ED said that from 2017 to 2022, Rs 11 crore was deposited in the account of Javed Imam Siddiqui and his wife, which was the amount of money laundering. During the hearing, the lawyer appearing for Javed Imam Siddiqui said that the name of Javed Imam Siddiqui was not in the CBI FIR or charge sheet. He has joined the ED’s interrogation 15 times before his arrest on November 11, 2023, but despite this the ED has deliberately implicated him.
Rouse Avenue Court today said that there is enough evidence against Amanatullah Khan, but permission has not been taken to prosecute him. In such a situation, cognizance cannot be taken of the ED charge sheet. The Rouse Avenue court ordered the acquittal of Maryam Siddiqui, the second accused in the supplementary charge sheet. The court said that there is no evidence against Maryam Siddiqui. ED had arrested Amanatullah Khan on September 2.