AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan sent to 14-day judicial custody

A Delhi court on Monday sent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan to 14 days judicial custody. He will remain in judicial custody till September 23. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had requested the court to send Amanatullah to 14 days judicial custody in a money laundering case.

The court of Special Judge Rakesh Syal of Rouse Avenue Court gave the decision to send Amanatullah to judicial custody.

During the hearing, Amanatullah Khan's lawyer told the court on Monday that Amanatullah should not be sent to judicial custody but he should be released. Amanatullah Khan will appear before the ED or the court whenever required on the orders and instructions of the court. Also, his lawyer said that if he is sent to jail, then he should be allowed to have home-cooked food and sign for using the MLA fund.

No need to keep in custody: ED

ED requested the court to send Amanatullah to judicial custody for 14 days. The agency told Special Judge Rakesh Syal that there is no need to keep the accused MLA in custody and interrogate him. In such a situation, he should now be sent to judicial custody. ED told the court that if Amanatullah is released, he can influence the investigation and witnesses of the case.

Earlier, investigating agency ED arrested Aam Aadmi leader Amanatullah on September 2 on charges of scam in Waqf Board. Amanatullah has been in ED remand for 7 days so far in the alleged scam case. Now there is a demand to send him to judicial custody.

Last week, the court had extended the remand

Last week on Friday, the court extended the ED custody period of Amanatullah Khan for 3 days, saying that he may need to be confronted with co-accused and witnesses. Special Judge Vishal Gogane gave this order on the request of ED. ED had sought custody for 10 more days from the court.

The judge had said in his decision that after looking at the case diaries, it seems that the accused may need to be confronted with the statements or evidence of about 48 witnesses or other people related to the investigation. In such a situation, the request to extend the ED custody of the accused seems right. The judge said that the custody is extended for three days. He should be produced on September 9.

Why was the MLA taken into custody

Earlier, the central investigating agency had produced Amanatullah Khan before the court after the expiry of the four-day custody period. On September 2, the ED took AAP MLA Amanatullah into custody after searching his house in Okhla area of ​​​​Delhi. He was taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

ED alleged that some questions were asked to the MLA during the search, but he was not answering properly. Because of this he had to be arrested.