Delhi Court extended judicial custody of three accused
In New Delhi, a Delhi court on Friday extended the judicial custody by an additional 14 days for three individuals apprehended in a case linked to purported irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board recruitments. This case also involves AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan.
The court prolonged the judicial custody of the accused — Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui — until December 15, following the conclusion of their previously granted 14-day incarceration period.
Advocate Nitesh Rana, representing the accused, argued that the remand application lacked substantial evidence to warrant an extension of custody, asserting that the accused should be released immediately.
Contrarily, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the central probe agency, informed the court that the investigation was ongoing.
Previously, before Special Judge Geetanjali Goel of Rouse Avenue Court, Rana contested the agency’s application, asserting a lack of establishment of a money trail and quantification of proceeds of crime.
Rana maintained that the arrest was in violation of Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and urged the dismissal of the remand application due to lack of merit.
On November 11, the court had rejected the ED’s plea for a 14-day custodial interrogation.
The ED had sought custody to trace the proceeds of crime, identify other involved parties, and determine their roles in money laundering. Rana reiterated that the alleged proceeds of crime were not connected to the scheduled offence and argued against the legality of the arrests.
Earlier, due to claims of “illegal detention,” the judge had remanded the accused to judicial custody until November 12.
Rana highlighted that the ED had detained his clients for nearly 30 hours, exceeding the prescribed 24-hour limit, and alleged that his clients had not engaged in any proceeds of crime.
The case revolves around allegations that Khan, as the Delhi Waqf Board chairman, made 32 illegal recruitments, violating norms and government guidelines.
