AAP MLA Alleges Misuse of ED Amidst Election Tensions

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan claimed an ED raid at his home, prompting Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj to accuse the central government of using investigative agencies to pressure AAP ahead of Delhi Assembly elections. Union Minister Giriraj Singh countered, labeling AAP as a party surrounded by criminals.

In a fresh political row, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan has alleged that his home was raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), leading to Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accusing the Central government of misusing investigative agencies to exert pressure on AAP ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the capital.

"The whole country is witnessing how these agencies are being misused. As the elections draw nearer, such pressure tactics will only intensify," Bharadwaj stated. He further asserted that no substantial evidence has been found against Khan in the ongoing Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case, despite multiple investigations by various agencies since 2016.

Earlier, Khan took to social media platform X to announce that ED officials had arrived at his Okhla residence with intentions of arresting him. Meanwhile, Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticized AAP, describing it as a party engulfed in criminal activities. "No one is above the law," Singh remarked, suggesting that any allegations against Khan would ultimately be adjudicated by the courts.

The controversy deepened as Minnatullah Khan, a cousin of the MLA, revealed that Amanatullah's mother-in-law was recently operated on and is battling cancer. Despite past investigations yielding no incriminating evidence, the ED has intensified its probe. Amanatullah Khan was previously granted bail in April by the Rouse Avenue Court for allegedly ignoring ED summons related to the Delhi Waqf Board case.

According to the ED, Khan has been uncooperative, escalating his status from witness to accused by seeking anticipatory bail and evading the investigation. A charge sheet implicating four individuals and one firm has already been filed, alleging illegal leasing of Waqf properties worth Rs 100 crore and improper appointments of 32 contractual employees during Khan's tenure as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board.

(With inputs from agencies.)