Waqf Board case: Court acquits ex-AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan for skipping ED summons

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted former AAP minister Amanatullah Khan in a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which alleged that he deliberately skipped summons during its probe into the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal held that the ED had not followed due process, noting that “not even 24 hours were given to the accused to appear” and that the summons were not served as per the prescribed procedure. The agency had claimed it issued summons on January 12, February 1 and February 2, 2024, which Khan allegedly ignored.

In a 51-page order, the court observed that Khan eventually appeared before the ED on April 18, 2024, and was substantially complying with the summons by supplying documents. The judge said the accused was within his rights to exhaust statutory remedies before appearing.

Citing procedural, legal and factual shortcomings, the court said there was no basis to conclude Khan’s culpability. The ED had filed the complaint under BNSS Section 174 for non-attendance.

In related cases concerning alleged skipping of summons in April and June 2024, the court also discharged Khan, terming the allegations groundless.