India
oi-Swastika Sruti
Azam Khan, leader of the Samajwadi Party and an ex-minister of Uttar Pradesh, was recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) shortly after he left the Rampur district jail on Saturday.
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan was arrested by the ED for money laundering charges concerning Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, immediately after his release on bail. The agency had attached university properties valued at ₹1,170 crore, identifying ₹426.46 crore as alleged proceeds of crime.
Though the minister was granted bail, his release did not mean that his legal ordeal had come to an end as the central agency arrested him on suspicion of money laundering related to the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur.
The ED arrested him right outside the jail gates and is anticipated to bring him before a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Ghaziabad.
The ED had provisionally attached the lands and buildings of the university recently whose current market value has been assessed to be nearly ₹1,170 crore.
But what led to Azam Khan’s arrest by the ED, what does the Jauhar University case entail, and whether the figure of ₹1,170 crore represents his personal wealth? Here is what we know.
In a video, Azam Khan said, “what is left to say now? What should I say? The law has completely ended. Being a Muslim is the punishment. Our only fault was that a Muslim built a university. That is our crime. We built schools for children. That is our crime.”
रामपुर जेल से रिहा होने के बाद आज़म खान ने कहा, अब कहने के लिए बचा ही क्या है? मैं क्या कहूं? कानून खत्म ही हो गया है। मुसलमान होने की सजा है।हमारी गलती बस इतनी थी कि एक मुसलमान ने यूनिवर्सिटी बनाई। यही हमारा गुनाह है। हमने बच्चों के लिए स्कूल बनवाए। यही हमारा गुनाह है #Azamkhan https://t.co/aAO7oZjzIh
— Arun (आज़ाद) Chahal 🇮🇳 (@ArunAzadchahal) October 31, 2026
Why Did ED Arrest Azam Khan Immediately After His Release?
Azam Khan’s bail from the Rampur Jail had some link with the other case in which he got the bail. But the ED’s money laundering case related to the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University is altogether different from the above-mentioned cases.
The ED is carrying out the investigation in financial irregularities, illegal land grab and misuse of government resources for constructing the university campus.
The investigation is going on under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
As per ED, during its investigations, it found certain amounts and assets allegedly obtained through illegal means and used for building the university. ED is also examining the participation of contractors, government money and donations given to the trust.
An ED official confirmed that Khan has been picked up from outside the jail. The ED is carrying on the process of arresting him and would be producing him in the Ghaziabad special PMLA court.
Hence, even after getting released on bail in the other case, ED was free to proceed in this case.
What Is The ₹1,170 Crore Jauhar University Case?
The centre of the ED investigation is Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, located in Jauhar Nagar, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
The university is owned by the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, which was founded and is controlled by Azam Khan. He also serves as its honorary chancellor.
The ED recently attached the university’s land and buildings under the PMLA. Their estimated current market value is approximately ₹1,170 crore.
However, the agency identified ₹426.46 crore as alleged proceeds of crime. These are two different figures: ₹1,170 crore is the estimated present market value of the attached properties, while ₹426.46 crore is the amount the ED claims could not be explained through legitimate sources.
The agency’s investigation found that the construction cost of 59 buildings on the campus was assessed at ₹494.46 crore. The land acquired through 114 sale deeds was valued at ₹4.63 crore.
This brought the total assessed cost of the university campus to approximately ₹499.09 crore.
According to the ED, the trust had declared capital expenditure of ₹78.32 crore in its income tax records. After examining the available financial documents and sources of funding, the agency said it could establish the legitimate source of only ₹72.63 crore.
The remaining ₹426.46 crore was identified as alleged proceeds of crime.
How Were Government Funds And Contractors Linked To The University?
The ED has alleged that money and construction materials meant for government projects were diverted towards the development of the private university.
One of the important aspects of the investigation involves contractors who received government construction contracts.
According to the agency, the managing director of a company that received Public Works Department contracts worth approximately ₹186 crore told investigators that around 30% to 40% of the contract value was used to purchase construction materials for the university campus.
The ED also examined donations made by contractors and companies associated with government projects.
Another allegation concerns the use of public funds under local area development schemes. The agency claimed that government resources were used for construction work inside the university campus.
The investigation has also examined allegations relating to government-funded structures whose ownership was subsequently transferred to the university.
These findings form part of the ED’s case that public resources and funds were allegedly used to develop a private educational institution.
What Is The Allegation Regarding Illegal Land Acquisition?
The ED’s money laundering investigation initially stemmed from 26 FIRs registered at Azeem Nagar police station in Rampur.
These complaints included allegations that agricultural land belonging to farmers was forcibly taken over for the university.
The agency also referred to an inquiry by the Rampur district administration concerning 45 plots of enemy property measuring approximately 34 acres in Singhankhera village.
Enemy property refers to assets left behind by people who migrated to countries such as Pakistan after Partition or during later conflicts. Such properties are managed under the relevant provisions of Indian law.
According to the ED, the university trust allegedly occupied these plots despite the cancellation of its lease. The agency said the Custodian of Enemy Property, under the Union Home Ministry, subsequently recovered possession of the land through the district administration.
Is Azam Khan Worth ₹1,170 Crore?
The ₹1,170 crore figure has attracted considerable attention following the ED’s action. However, it is important to understand that this amount does not represent Azam Khan’s personal net worth.
The figure refers to the estimated current market value of the land and buildings attached by the ED at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University.
The university campus is owned by the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, which the agency says was founded and is controlled by Khan.
The ED has identified ₹426.46 crore as alleged proceeds of crime linked to the properties. This is the agency’s assessment in the money laundering investigation and should not be confused with a final judicial finding. There is no verified personal net-worth figure for Azam Khan in the information available in this case.
What Happens Next In The ED Case?
Following his arrest, the ED is expected to produce Azam Khan before the special PMLA court in Ghaziabad. The agency may seek his custody for further questioning about the alleged financial transactions, sources of funds and construction of the university.
The investigation involves the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, the university and several other individuals and entities.
The ED had earlier conducted searches at the university and related premises on August 19, 2026, during which electronic devices and documents were seized.
The agency’s investigation is continuing. The allegations against Azam Khan and the trust will have to be examined through the legal process, and the ED’s claims are not, by themselves, proof of guilt.
