The Enforcement Directorate has conducted searches in several places associated with Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Uttar Pradesh. The searches are in addition to the investigation of financial irregularities, money laundering and the alleged diversion of government money, the Enforcement Directorate has said in a statement.
The ED has conducted searches at around 10 locations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on Wednesday. The locations are in the vicinity of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur. Azam Khan heads the trust that runs the university.
The agency is looking for financial records and digital evidence that might help detectives to get the facts about how money was received and used for trust and university relations, it said.
The latest take adds more layers to the long-term legal and financial scrutiny of Azam Khan and the university.
The ED investigation is related to allegations that government funds meant for different public projects may have been diverted towards the construction or development of the university. These are allegations under investigation and do not by themselves establish wrongdoing.
Why is Jauhar University under investigation?
Mohammad Ali Jauhar University was established in Rampur by Azam Khan and owned by the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. There has been more and more scrutiny on the university from various government agencies in the past months.
The Income Tax Department canceled the trust's tax registration in June after questions were raised about its financial and administrative affairs. An investigation also raised questions about the sources of money used for construction at the university.
According to reports on the Income Tax investigation, officials questioned a large gap between the estimated construction cost of the university campus and the amounts reflected in the trust's financial records. One report estimated the construction cost of 59 buildings at around Rs 494 crore and said investigators were looking into the source of the funds used for the construction.
But authorities have raised questions about whether government money and government resources are being used for work related to the university. Reports from June said the Income Tax Department was investigating donations and government money allegedly used in the construction of the campus.
Earlier investigations had also examined allegations of government funds and equipment. In 2022, an FIR alleged that machines purchased with government money for cleaning purposes were being used at Jauhar University. Allahabad High Court order records those allegations as part of the case history.
The latest ED searches will primarily focus on financial transactions and records which will help determine whether funds were moved or used in violation of the law.
The university has also faced regulatory action related to its buildings. The Rampur Development Authority ordered the demolition of 38 out of 40 university buildings in July for violating approvals and construction specifications. The university challenged the decision and the Moradabad Divisional Commissioner later gave it interim relief by stopping the demolition operation until further orders were given to the university.
The action from different agencies has put the university under considerable pressure.
For students, teachers and staff, this has led to uncertainty about the future of the institution. The university has thousands of students and offers courses in several fields, so continued legal and regulatory disputes are concerning to the campus community.
The latest ED searches do not mean the allegations have been proven. The agency will need to analyze the data and evidence gathered during the searches before concluding that any financial wrongdoing occurred.
The investigation could also lead to more questioning of people connected with the trust, university and financial transactions.
The case has also attracted political attention. Azam Khan is a Samajwadi Party leader and has already faced a number of legal cases over the years. His supporters have accused the government of targeting him for political reasons, while authorities have maintained that the investigation into the university and trust is based on alleged violations and financial irregularities.
So the latest ED action is in the midst of a much wider dispute surrounding the university.
Investigators are going to look at financial documents, electronic records and other data collected in the searches. The results will help determine the next step in the money laundering investigation.
The Jauhar University case has already included several government departments, including the Income Tax Department, Rampur Development Authority and other agencies. ED raids now bring another major central agency into the investigation.
More details of the alleged movement and use of funds might emerge as the investigation continues. When investigators finish their examination and any legal proceedings take place, the allegations against the trust and individuals involved remain allegations.
The immediate focus is on what the ED finds during its searches and whether the agency finds evidence supporting the allegations of government fund diversion and money laundering.
