A Delhi court on Wednesday remanded Al Falah University chairperson and founder Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui to 13 days’ Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody, after the agency alleged he generated over Rs 415 crore in “dishonestly” obtained funds and posed a significant flight risk due to family ties in Gulf countries”. Siddiqui was arrested late Tuesday night following extensive searches at premises linked to the Faridabad-based Al Falah group, which is now under scrutiny in the probe into the November 10 Red Fort area blast that killed 15 people and injured several others.
The ED produced Siddiqui before Additional Sessions Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan at her residence around 1 am, seeking a 14-day remand. The court granted 13 days, extending his custody until December 1.
In its remand application, the ED claimed Siddiqui had “significant financial resources and influence”, stating that his family’s presence in Gulf countries gave him clear “incentives to flee India”. According to the agency, Siddiqui and the Al Falah charitable trust, under his direction, generated Rs 415.10 crore as proceeds of crime by misleading students and parents with false claims of NAAC accreditation and UGC recognition.
The ED said it had taken cognisance of two Delhi Police Crime Branch FIRs alleging that Al Falah University fabricated accreditation credentials to attract students. Special public prosecutor Simon Benjamin and advocate Tuhina Mishra, appearing for the ED, argued that the university forged NAAC and UGC status, enabling it to continue enrolling students and accumulating funds “at the cost of their trust, future, and legitimate expectations”.
The agency further alleged that the trust collected over Rs 400 crore in fees and educational receipts through deceptive practices and diverted the money for Siddiqui’s personal and private interests. It also contended that Siddiqui had “command” over staff managing admissions, accounts, fee ledgers, and IT systems, giving him the ability to “destroy or alter records”.
Investigators said that only a portion of the Rs 415.10 crore proceeds of crime had been identified, and the trail of funds across numerous bank accounts, benami deposits, and off-balance-sheet assets was still being traced.
Although Siddiqui’s lawyer argued he was falsely implicated, the court said the investigation was at a “nascent stage” and the allegations were grave, justifying custodial interrogation until December 1, as the ED continues probing suspected large-scale financial irregularities and accreditation fraud.
