(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Rouse Avenue court on Thursday, November 14 declined cognizance against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in a case related to an alleged Money Laundering in the purchase of a property worth ₹36 crores. The court directed to release him on bond of ₹1 lakh. Special Judge Jitendra Singh said while there is sufficient evidence against Khan to proceed against him, there was no sanction to prosecute him.

When the Special Judge had questioned ED about how Khan was connected to the money laundering offence, it had cited a diary and WhatsApp chats, pointing out that Khan's name appeared multiple times in the diary, written by Kausar Imam Siddiqui, along with matching financial transactions.

The court further added that there is no evidence against Mariam Siddiqui and is also discharged.

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Earlier on October 29, the ED had on October 29 filed a 110-page first supplementary prosecution complaint (ED's equivalent to a chargesheet), claiming Khan laundered money that was allegedly generated through corruption in the Delhi Waqf Board. Khan was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on September 2 from his Okhla residence.

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On November 13, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court had reserved its orders on whether to take cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED in the case. The Special Judge Jitendra Singh had reserved the order after hearing arguments from the ED, which claimed there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the accused persons in the case.

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Counsel for AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, Rajat Bhardwaj said, "... The court has declined to take cognizance against Amanatullah Khan because there was no sanction against him and the court has directed his release with the surety of Rs. one lakh... There's no evidence against accused number seven, Mariam Siddiqui, therefore no summons have been issued against her..."

(With inputs from ANI)

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