Court Extends AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's ED Custody in Money Laundering Case

A Delhi court has extended AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's Enforcement Directorate custody by three days in a money laundering case. The extension is justified to confront him with co-accused and witnesses. The judge restricted the custody to three days instead of the requested ten, due to Khan's alleged evasiveness.

A Delhi court on Friday extended AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's ED custody by three days in a money laundering case, saying he may be required to be confronted with co-accused and witnesses.

Special judge Vishal Gogne passed the order on an application moved by the central probe agency, which had sought Khan's custody for 10 more days.

The judge said that an investigation cannot be frozen to the desecration of the accused who may have joined the investigation on one occasion.

He said the examination of the case diaries by the court suggested the possibility that the statements or materials collected from about 48 witnesses or other persons connected with the investigation and who are not part of the first prosecution complaint (ED's equivalent to a charge sheet) may be required to be confronted with the accused.

''Consequently, the court finds the prayer for extension of custody of the ED over the accused to be justified by the outcomes of the investigation thus far,'' the judge said.

He said that moreover, the investigative agency may require extended time to unravel the multi-layered and masked financial transactions which may have been designed to launder a substantial amount of money (Rs 36 crores) into properties fronted by the agents of Khan.

''However, the prayer for the grant of further custody for 10 days is excessive. Three days of further custodial investigation is presently found sufficient by the court,'' the judge said and directed the ED to produce Khan before it on September 9.

The judge said that the accused shall be medically examined after every 24 hours.

''Further, the interrogation of the accused shall be conducted under CCTV coverage, with audio or video recording facility. The audio or video recording of the same is directed to be preserved for production in the court if required,'' the judge said.

Khan was produced before the court on the expiry of his four-day Enforcement Directorate custody granted earlier.

He was taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on September 2 after the agency searched his residence in the Okhla area of the national capital.

The ED told the court that some questions were put to Khan during the searches but he remained ''evasive'' and hence, was arrested.

(With inputs from agencies.)