Delhi Waqf Board Case: Anti Corruption Branch Moves High Court Against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's Bail

Delhi's Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) has moved the High Court against grant of bail to Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan in a corruption case relating to the Delhi Waqf Board.The ACB in the FIR has accused Khan of carrying out illegal recruitments and financial misappropriation as Delhi Waqf Board (DWB) chairman. Khan was granted bail by the city's Rouse Avenue Courts on September 28.Justice Yogesh Khanna issued notice on ACB's plea and sought response of the MLA, while listing the matter for hearing on December 9.Khan was arrested on September 16 and is accused of carrying out recruitments of 32 employees on contractual basis in violation of rules and regulations in the capacity of Chairman of the statutory body.Khan is also accused of letting out the DWB's properties to the tune of Rs.100 Crores to unauthorized persons, as also granting tenancies of eight properties without calling for the bid or advertisement.The complainant Hafiz Irshad Qureshi in the 2020 FIR had alleged that there were major irregularities in the operation of the Board's bank accounts due to change of signatories in violation of the rules. The funds were unauthorizedly withdrawn and misappropriated, Qureshi alleged further.While granting bail to Khan, the trial court had said that there was no material on record to show that any of the recruited employees had paid him any bribe in securing the jobs.It was also observed that the allegations against him are not serious and grave in nature. The judge also had noted that while Khan, being the Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board, went ahead with the recruitment in violation of Delhi Government's instruction only to favour his relatives and members of his constituency, there was no material suggesting that he was paid bribe by anyone for the same."Therefore, prima facie, there is no material on record to show that as to what extent loss was caused to the exchequer by grant of tenancy by Waqf Board during the tenure of present accused," the judge had said.Title: State v. Amanatullah Khan

Delhi Waqf Board Case: Anti Corruption Branch Moves High Court Against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's Bail

Nupur Thapliyal

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