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Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan was questioned by the ED in a money laundering case, and will now be lodged in Ghaziabad’s Dasna Jail instead of Rampur
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan. (Image: ANI/File)
Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, who was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days and will now be lodged in Ghaziabad’s Dasna Jail instead of Rampur.
Khan’s brief remark outside the court – “Ab kya bacha hai bolne ko (what is left to say now)?” – reflected his apparent frustration as another legal setback complicated his political comeback ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The development comes less than 24 hours after he walked out of Rampur district jail following nearly 11 months in custody. The ED took him into custody shortly after his release in a separate money-laundering investigation linked to the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur.
FROM BAIL TO ANOTHER JAIL
Khan and his son Abdullah Azam had secured bail from the Allahabad High Court in the dual PAN card case. While Abdullah was allowed to return home, Khan was taken away by the ED, which subsequently produced him before the special PMLA court in Ghaziabad.
The court has now sent him to 14 days of judicial custody. He will be lodged in Dasna Jail in Ghaziabad rather than being taken back to Rampur, marking another setback for him; he has spent a considerable part of the last six years in prison in multiple cases.
WHY DID THE ED QUESTION AZAM KHAN?
The ED action is connected to alleged financial irregularities in the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University and the trust running the institution. The agency had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in 2019 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The investigation reportedly involves questions over the source of funds, financial transactions and the money trail associated with the university and the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. Reports have cited approximately Rs 494 crore in alleged financial irregularities for which the agency is seeking an explanation.
The allegations are under investigation and have not been established as guilt by a court. The development has triggered a fresh political confrontation between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP.
WHAT DID THE SP SAY?
Reacting to the ED action on Saturday (October 31), SP president Akhilesh Yadav said: “BJP se nyay ki ummeed nahi ki ja sakti (one cannot expect justice from the BJP).”
In a separate social media post, he wrote: “Aaj ke hukmaranon ko yaad rahe, jab waqt badal jata hai toh takht badal jata hai (the rulers of today should remember that when times change, thrones also change).”
Yadav also alleged that the cases against Khan were part of a conspiracy and that the entire country was watching the injustice being done to the senior SP leader.
The party’s national spokesperson, Abbas Haider, also criticised the ED alleging that central investigation agencies were being used to intimidate political opponents. He questioned the low rate of completed trials under the PMLA and described the action against Khan as political vendetta.
This assumes significance with the upcoming elections as Khan remains one of the most influential Muslim political leaders in the SP, particularly in Rampur and parts of western UP. His political influence extends beyond Rampur, with his organisational network and standing among sections of the Muslim electorate having historically contributed to the SP’s political strength.
On October 22, Yadav had visited Khan at Rampur jail for an hour-long meeting, putting an end to speculation about differences between the two leaders.
After the meeting, he had said: “Azam was, Azam is, and Azam will remain.”
He had also said false cases could not keep the veteran leader behind bars forever. His latest incarceration adds another chapter to his prolonged legal troubles.
He was first sent to jail in February 2020 in connection with multiple cases, including those involving his family. He remained behind bars for over two years before securing interim bail from the Supreme Court in May 2022.
He was arrested again in October 2023 after a court convicted him, his wife Tazeen Fatma and son Abdullah Azam in the dual birth certificate case. He subsequently secured release in September 2025.
His third stint began in November 2025 after his conviction in the dual-PAN-card case. The Allahabad HC granted bail to Khan and Abdullah on October 29, 2026, paving the way for their release on October 31.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Azam Khan was detained by the Enforcement Directorate right after walking out of jail in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and University.
Ask News18November 01, 2026, 16:59 IST
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