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The legal troubles of senior Samajwadi Party leader and former cabinet minister Azam Khan have increased once again. A fresh FIR has been registered at Azimnagar police station in Rampur on a complaint by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding financial irregularities, alleged misuse of government funds and undisclosed expenditure of more than Rs 416 crore in the construction of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur.
Piyush S., Deputy Director of ED’s Lucknow Zonal Office. This legal action has been taken on the basis of a detailed investigation report and complaint sent by Thoret to the Director General of Police (DGP) and the local police. The investigation of the case has been handed over to Area Officer (CO) Tanda Pankaj Pant.
The probe agency’s report highlights a huge gap between the actual construction cost of Jauhar University and the expenditure shown to the Income Tax Department by the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust:
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Construction Cost in Appraisal Report: According to the official valuation report of the District Valuation Officer (DVO) of the Income Tax Department dated 10 November 2023, the actual construction cost of various buildings and infrastructure of the university campus is approximately ₹494.46 crore Was assessed.
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Expenses declared by the Trust: On the other hand, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust has only disclosed the total capital expenditure on the university in its Income Tax Returns (ITR) filed during the financial year 2013-14 to 2024-25. ₹78.32 crore Showed.
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Unaccounted difference of Rs 416.14 crore: directly between the two figures ₹416.14 crore A huge difference has emerged. ED alleges that the Trust and Azam Khan could not present any legitimate and transparent financial source of this huge undisclosed amount, due to which it is suspected to have been spent in the construction through black money and money laundering.
In the report submitted by ED to the police, not only the difference in construction cost, but also the difference in construction cost through government machinery and contracts. ₹85.81 crore Diversion of resources is also detailed:
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Diversion of 30-40% material from contractors (₹55.8 crore): The report quotes the statement of the Managing Director of CK Associates. The company had received government contracts worth approximately ₹186 crore between 2013-14 and 2016-17. It is alleged that 30 to 40 percent of the contract amount was used to purchase cement, rebar and other construction materials for Jauhar University, the estimated cost of which is at least ₹55.8 crore.
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Government construction from Jal Nigam (₹23.41 crore): A big pandal, OBC boys hostel and hospital were constructed with government funds in the university campus through CTS Unit-18 of Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, which cost ₹23.41 crore. Later, allegedly by changing the government order, the ownership of these government properties was transferred to the trust.
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Utilization of MLA/MLC funds (₹6.60 crore): Apart from this, there is also mention in the report that development work worth ₹ 6.60 crore has been done within the university campus from the MLA and Legislative Council Member Area Development Fund.
The Enforcement Directorate shared the evidence with the state police under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following which the police registered a case. Several serious sections of the Indian Justice Code (BNS) and anti-corruption law have been added to the FIR:
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Indian Judicial Code (BNS): Section 61 (criminal conspiracy), Section 316(5) (criminal breach of trust) and Section 318(4) (cheating).
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Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act): Section 7, Section 13(1)(d) and 13(2) (obtaining unfair advantage by public servant by abusing his official position).
It is noteworthy that Azam Khan is currently lodged in Sitapur/Rampur jail in other criminal and fake certificate cases. Just before this new FIR, a special investigation team of ED had reached Rampur jail and interrogated Azam Khan intensively for more than 8 hours continuously.
During the inquiry, questions were raised about the sources of donations worth crores of rupees received by the university, donations worth lakhs given to the trust by some private companies immediately after getting the contract and the decisions of the governing body. Now after the registration of the new FIR, both the local police and ED will together take forward the process of remand and forensic investigation of documents to get to the bottom of this money trail of Rs 416 crore.