Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Delhi government’s anti-corruption branch (ACB), which is overseen by the Lieutenant Governor, on Friday arrested AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan for allegedly making arbitrary and illegal appointments to various existing and non-existing posts while he was the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board.
According to Indian Express, before his arrest, the ACB conducted raids at multiple places related to him, and allegedly recovered an unlicensed pistol and Rs 12 lakh in cash. The Delhi Police are filing a separate FIR in connection with the recovery.
ACB Chief, Additional CP, Madhur Verma, said, “We have arrested MLA Amanatullah Khan for his involvement in a case registered with the ACB on the basis of incriminating material and evidence against him and from the recovery during the searches conducted today.”
On Thursday, Verma had said that Khan had been summoned to join the investigation.
A case against Khan was filed in 2016 following a complaint from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Headquarters), Revenue department, alleging that appointments to various existing and non-existing posts by Khan in the Waqf Board were arbitrary and illegal. An FIR in this regard was registered by the ACB in January 2020 under section 7 of the PC Act and section 120-B of the IPC.
The former ACB chief, Special CP S K Gautam, had also written to the Lieutenant Governor secretariat seeking the removal of Khan from the post of chairman and alleged that his “criminal and bullying” nature was “obstructing free and fair investigation and preventing witnesses from coming out against him”.
In a letter dated July 29 to the L-G secretariat, Gautam had said, “The witnesses are afraid of Khan, an AAP MLA, due to his aggressive behaviour and his position in the Delhi Waqf Board. Accordingly, the ACB has sought Khan’s removal from the post till the conclusion of the investigation in the case which pertains to financial bungling in the bank accounts of the Waqf Board, creation of tenancy in the board’s properties, corruption in the purchase of vehicles and illegal appointment of 33 personnel in violation of the service rules, among others.”
