The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated legal action against Aam Admi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan for failing to appear in response to the summons related to the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case. The complaint filed by the ED accuses Khan of repeated non-compliance with the issued summons. The issue is set for review tomorrow at the Rouse Avenue court.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra presided over the proceedings of the ED presented its case against Khan. Following the ED’s submissions, the court has scheduled further proceedings for April 6. The complaint filed by the ED is under section 174 IPC, 1860, in conjunction with section 63 (4) of PMLA, 2002, citing non-attendance as a violation of Section 50, PMLA, 2002.
SPP Simon Benjamin, representing the ED, was present during the hearing. This legal action comes after the Delhi High Court dismissed Khan’s anticipatory bail plea on March 11. Despite multiple summons from the ED, Khan has failed to appear, leading to the dismissal of his earlier anticipatory bail plea by the trial court.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, in her remarks, emphasized that elected representatives and public figures are not exempt from legal obligations, stating that no special treatment should be accorded to political leaders. She further rejected the petitioner’s argument that appearing before the ED might lead to his arrest, stating that such reasoning would hinder investigations.
The High Court’s decision underscores the principle that individuals must cooperate with investigative agencies, as failure to do so could impede the course of justice.
