New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS): AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on Monday claimed that a team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was at his house in Delhi's Okhla to arrest him.
Sources said that the ED team was conducting a raid in connection with the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of staff for the Delhi Waqf Board. The team was accompanied by Delhi Police and CRPF personnel.
Claiming it was an early morning raid, Amanatullah Khan took to social media and posted his video on X. "It's 7 o'clock and ED officers have come to my house under the pretext of a search warrant to arrest me..."
He alleged that the ED has been "harassing" him. "For the past two years, they have been harassing me with false cases, creating some trouble for me and my entire party almost every day. The Chief Minister has been in jail, Sanjay Singh has been in jail, Satyendra Jain is still in jail, and now they want to arrest me. Their only motive is to break us and our party...."
The raids are said to be part of a money laundering probe against the AAP MLA linked to alleged irregularities in recruiting staff for the Delhi Waqf Board, sources said. The raids are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
Reacting to Amanatullah Khan's post, AAP leader Manish Sisodia attacked the BJP and the ED. "This is the only work left for the ED: to suppress every voice raised against the BJP. Break it. Arrest and imprison those who do not break or surrender", said Sisodia.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh criticised the ED for being "ruthless". "Look at the cruelty of the ED. Amanatullah Khan first participated in the ED's investigation and requested more time due to his mother-in-law's cancer and her recent surgery. Despite this, they raided his house early in the morning. There is no evidence against Amanatullah Khan, but both Modi's dictatorship and the ED's thuggery continue."
Amanatullah Khan was arrested in April by ED in the case and later got bail from the Delhi Rouse Avenue court which granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 15,000 and one surety of like amount.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a complaint against him for failing to appear before the agency and participate in the investigation related to alleged irregularities in appointments at the Delhi Waqf Board. According to complaints, Khan allegedly got a large amount of cash through illegal staff recruitment at the Delhi Waqf Board and used the money to buy properties in the names of his associates.