The Freedom Press
Rampur, Oct 31: In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested senior Samajwadi Party leader and former MP Azam Khan outside Rampur district jail on Saturday, minutes after his release following nearly 11 months in custody.
ED officials questioned Khan outside the prison before taking him into custody in connection with a money-laundering investigation registered in 2019 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
His son, Abdullah Azam, who was also released from jail, was allowed to return home, while Azam Khan was taken away by the ED team. Around 24 CRPF personnel were deployed outside the prison during the operation.
According to reports, the case relates to alleged financial irregularities and land-grabbing involving the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and the university established by it. Khan is likely to be produced before a court in Ghaziabad.
Reacting to his arrest, Khan reportedly said, “This is the punishment for being a Muslim,” alleging that establishing a university had become his crime.
Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had granted bail to Azam Khan and Abdullah Azam and suspended their sentences in the dual PAN card case. However, the court declined to stay their convictions, meaning their disqualification from contesting elections remains in force.
