New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (December 11) granted bail to two persons arrested in connection with the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying they have been in custody for over a year and the trial in the case is not likely to commence soon as even charges have not been framed.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, while granting bail to Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir, said that their December 6 and December 9, 2024 undertakings filed before the top court would be part of the record and compliance of the undertakings would be a bail condition.
Charges have not been framed in the complaint filed under PMLA, Apex Court noted
The bench noted that Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir have been in custody for approximately one year and one month and charges have not been framed in the complaint filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
“In the complaint, 29 witnesses have been cited, and about 50 documents are being relied upon which run into more than 4,000 pages,” the bench noted.
Trial in the case is not likely to commence soon as even charges have not been framed, Apex Court noted
The bench further said that the trial in the case is not likely to commence soon as even charges have not been framed.
“Therefore, in the facts of the case and in view of the undertakings furnished by the appellants and what is held in the judgement of this court in the case of Senthil Balaji (DMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister), the appellants have to be enlarged on bail,” the bench said.
The bench directed Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir to be produced before the trial court within a week to complete the bail formalities and to be released on bail on appropriate terms and conditions, which include compliance of the undertakings filed before the top court.
The bench also said that it will be open for the respondent ED to apply for cancellation of bail before the trial court if the hearing of the complaint is delayed due to any act or omission on part of Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir.
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was the main accused in the money laundering case
Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir were arrested by the ED in November 2023 in a case alleging irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board recruitment process.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and former Delhi Waqf Board chairperson Amanatullah Khan was the main accused in the money laundering case and recently he was ordered to be released by a trial court, which refused to take cognisance of an ED chargesheet filed against him. The ED has challenged the trial court order before the Delhi High Court.
What are the allegations?
The ED has alleged that Khan acquired “huge proceeds of crime” in cash through illegal recruitment of staff at the Delhi Waqf Board while he was the chairman of the Waqf Board and invested those alleged ill-gotten money to purchase immovable assets through associates, including Zeeshan Haider and Daud Nasir.
