The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a petition by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan, who has challenged his arrest and remand in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the recruitment process of the Delhi Waqf Board.

Justice Neena Krishna Bansal directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response to the plea and scheduled the matter for further hearing on October 18.

The money laundering case against Amanatullah Khan stems from alleged irregularities in recruitment and property purchases during his tenure as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board. It is alleged that Khan appointed individuals in violation of legal procedures. The Anti-Corruption Bureau initially booked him, following which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered the money laundering case.

Khan was arrested by the ED on September 2 after both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court rejected his plea for anticipatory bail. He has now approached the High Court, challenging the legality of his arrest and remand.

Appearing for Khan, Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari argued that the arrest was unlawful, and the remand order issued by the Magistrate should be quashed as it was passed without due consideration. Chaudhari also referenced the Supreme Court’s decision to grant interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal as a supporting precedent.

Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain, representing the ED, contended that Khan's plea is not maintainable. He further alleged that Khan had suppressed key facts previously presented in his anticipatory bail petition. Hossain emphasized that both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court had already rejected Khan’s anticipatory bail on the same grounds.

“When on the basis of the same material, this Hon’ble court had examined whether you are entitled to anticipatory bail and twin conditions of Section 45 PMLA, why do you choose to not disclose it in the writ petition,” he asked.

Hossain further argued that, in a similar case involving Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Supreme Court had dismissed his petition challenging arrest solely on the grounds of concealment and suppression of material facts. He suggested that Khan's petition should likewise be dismissed for withholding crucial information from the Court.