Delhi Blast: Former Al-Falah University VC Indulged In Forgery, Money Laundering, ED Tells Court

A Delhi court has remanded Al Falah Group Chairman, Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui to 13 days of custody under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till December 1, on the grounds of several illicit activities, including money laundering linked to large-scale fraud and diversion of funds from the Al-Falah University ecosystem.  

Siddiqui was arrested late Tuesday night, November 18, after the ED carried out searches throughout the day at places linked to the Al Falah group in Faridabad. The group is also being investigated in connection with the November 10 blasts near the Red Fort, which killed over a dozen people and injured several others. Subsequently, he was taken to Additional Sessions Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan’s residence around 1 am. The ED requested a 14-day custody; however, the court granted custody for only 13 days, till December 1. 

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What Are The Charges Levied Against Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui?

- In its remand request, the ED told the Delhi court that Siddiqui had ‘significant financial resources and influence and, as his family was based in the Gulf, gave him leverage to flee the country as the probe deepens.

- As per ED, Siddiqui had the Al Falah charitable trust under his control, which generated Rs 415.10 crore of illegal money by misleading students and parents under the false claims of doing NAAC accreditation and UGC recognition. 

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- According to the investigating agency, all the money was subsequently diverted for Siddiqui’s personal use. 

- The ED added that it had not yet traced the full money trail across many bank accounts and that it still needed to follow benami deposits and assets kept off the books.

- Two FIRs were filed by the ED against Siddiqui on the grounds of faking accreditation documents to attract students to the university.

- Lawyers Simon Benjamin and Tuhina Mishra, representing the ED said that the university forged NAAC and UGC documents. This allowed it to keep admitting students and collecting money from the students at the cost of their 'trust' in the university.  

- Meanwhile, Siddiqui’s lawyers have denied his involvement in any of the charges levied against him and have termed them as ‘fabricated’, adding that he is a scapegoat of the investigating agencies who are probing the matter of the Delhi blasts.