Delhi Red Fort blast: ED searches Al Falah University, linked persons

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday (November 18) launched searches against the Al Falah University of Faridabad and its promoters and linked persons as part of its investigation related to the Red Fort area terrorist blast case.

Teams of the federal probe agency reportedly searching at least 25 locations in the Delhi-NCR since early Tuesday morning.

It is understood that the ED is taking action under the anti-money laundering law following cognisance of the FIRs filed by the NIA and the Delhi Police in the case. The agency is investigating finances and purported terror financing links in the matter.

Also read: Al Falah University chancellor’s brother arrested in long-pending fraud cases

The searches reportedly began around 5 am, and the trustees of the University are also being raided.

Nine shell companies under lens

“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 told news agency PTI.

The official said “key” personnel overseeing finance and administration of the trust and the university have also been covered in the raids.

At least nine shell (dummy) companies linked to the group, all registered at a single address, are under the examination of the ED, according to the officials.

Multiple 'risk' indicators

Preliminary findings point to multiple “risk” indicators consistent with shell-company behaviour, like no physical presence or meaningful utility consumption at declared places of business and common mobile number and email across various companies and accounts.

Also read: Delhi blast: Two FIRs filed against Al Falah University; 2 more doctors held

The ED investigators have reportedly also found the absence of EPFO/ESIC filings inconsistent with reported scale of operations and overlapping of directors/signatories and weak KYC trails across entities.

Instances of minimal salary disbursal through banking channels and absence of HR (human resource) records part from synchronised incorporation patterns and common contact coordinates across firms have been detected at the varsity, officials told PTI.

In addition, prima-facie discrepancies have reportedly been noted in claims regarding UGC and NAAC recognition which indicate alleged non-compliance to norms established for educational institutions.

Increasing glare on varsity

Al Falah University, which came into focus after several of its doctors were accused of being part of the “white-collar terror module”, is located in the Dhouj area of Faridabad district in Haryana near Delhi, and it is a medical college-cum-hospital.

Till now, the NIA has arrested two persons, allegedly close aides of “suicide bomber” Dr Umar Nabi.

On Saturday, it was reported that the Crime Branch had lodged two FIRs against the university under charges of cheating and forgery following regulatory violations reported by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

Also read: Who is Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan, sacked by J&K LG, now under lens in Red Fort blast probe?

The action was taken after both statutory bodies highlighted “major irregularities” in the university’s functioning. A police team also visited the Okhla office of the university on Saturday to seek details related to those under scanner.

On Monday, it was further reported that the brother of the chancellor of Al Falah University had been arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police from Hyderabad in connection with fraud cases dating back nearly 25 years.

Chancellor's brother held

Hamood Ahmad Siddiqui (50), the younger brother of Al Falah University's Chancellor Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui, was arrested on Sunday in connection with three cases registered in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow town for alleged investment fraud of around Rs 40 lakh, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Yangchen Dolkar Bhutia told reporters.

The three cases were reportedly registered against Hamood Siddiqui in 2000 under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant legal provisions.

Also read: Two Al Falah University doctors detained in Red Fort blast probe

In addition to these, two separate cases were registered against him at the Mhow police station in 1988 and 1989 on charges of rioting and attempt to murder, she said. “A reward of Rs 10,000 was announced for Hamood Siddiqui's arrest in 2019,” the official said.

(With agency inputs)