Money laundering probe: ED to quiz Azam Khan’s sister

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing money laundering charges against Azam Khan, has decided to record the statement of Nikhat Alfaq, sister of Samajwadi Party leader and treasurer of Jauhar university, run by a trust of the Khan family.

According to sources, treasurer of the multicrore Jauhar Trust, Nikhat, in her statement to the Uttar Pradesh Police had claimed that “her signatures on documents related to Jauhar university, have been forged” and she was unaware of financial activities of the trust, run solely by her brother. Jauhar trust also runs Jauhar university.

“The ED is scrutinizing transaction details of at least three accounts of Jauhar trust. Nikhat had informed state police that she neither cleared any account or signed on any financial documents relating to the trust”, sources said adding the trust holds assets worth over several hundred crores.The ED will soon call her for questioning and if required she may be confronted with Khan during questioning, they added.

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Several cases related to land grabbing have been registered against Azam Khan by Uttar Pradesh (UP) police and the ED. The ED took cognisance of at least 26 UP Police FIRs against Khan to file its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). The ECIR is ED’s case equivalent of a police FIR. Sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) been pressed against Khan and others.

“The ED is probing if the proceeds of crime of the alleged land grab and extortion were used by Azam Khan and others, including his family members, to create personal assets, which can also be attached and subsequent prosecution could be launched”, sources said. The Samajwadi Party had alleged that the move was a conspiracy by the Rampur district magistrate to defame Khan and the university.

SEVERAL CASES related to land grabbing have been registered against Azam Khan by Uttar Pradesh police and the ED. The ED took cognisance of at least 26 UP Police FIRs against Khan to file its Enforcement Case Information Report

— PTI A policeman pastes a notice at the residence of a Covid-19 positive muezzin (who recites prayer-call at mosques) in Dehradun on Tuesday.