The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairman and Founder of the Al Falah group, after conducting simultaneous searches in the Delhi-NCR region against trustees and promoters of Faridabad-based Al Falah University. The university has been at the centre of investigations linked to the Red Fort area car blast, officials said.
Siddiqui has been taken into custody under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is being produced before a competent court for remand, they added. The agency has also seized Rs 48 lakh in cash during searches that began around 5:15 am, according to sources.
Widespread Raids Across Multiple Locations
Multiple teams of the federal probe agency raided at least 25 premises associated with the Al Falah Trust and the university establishment. Officials also carried out a raid on an office in Delhi’s Okhla area, with police and paramilitary forces providing security cordons.
Fifteen people were killed in the November 10 blast near the iconic monument in Delhi, and the role of several doctors linked to the university and in Kashmir is under the scanner of anti-terror probe agencies.
Investigation Targets Financial Irregularities and Shell Companies
“The operation forms part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities, use of shell companies, accommodation entities and money laundering. The role of Al-Falah Trust and related entities is under investigation,” an ED official said.
The official added that “key” personnel overseeing finance and administration of the Trust and the university have also been covered in the raids. The agency has taken cognisance of first information reports filed by the NIA and the Delhi Police in the case. Till now, the NIA has arrested two persons, stated to be the alleged close aides of “suicide bomber” Dr Umar Nabi.
At least nine shell (dummy) companies linked to the group, all registered at a single address, are under ED examination, officials said. The Al Falah varsity is located in the Dhouj area of Haryana’s Faridabad district and functions as a medical college-cum-hospital.