ED raids multiple locations linked to SP's Azam Khan over fund diversion; earlier demolition notices had been issued, details
The agency believes some contractors who received government contracts channeled a portion of those funds to the trust and university disguised as donations or payment for construction work.
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On Wednesday, August 19, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at roughly ten locations across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi connected to imprisoned Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, and Muhammad Ali Jauhar University.
That said, the ED's raids stem from an entirely separate money laundering case, with the agency currently focused on scrutinizing suspicious financial transactions, government contract funds, and gathering documentation and digital evidence related to the trust and university.
Khan and his wife illegally grabbed land for development
Since 2019, Khan, his wife, Dr. Tazeen Fatima, his son Abdullah Azam Khan, and other trust members have faced numerous criminal cases tied to alleged illegal land grabs, encroachment on government property, forgery, and misuse of public land, including assertions that farmland, government land, and even "enemy property" were improperly folded into the campus. The state government has since cancelled leases on some of this land, citing violations of allotment terms, a move upheld by the Allahabad High Court and left untouched by the Supreme Court.
The operation covered sites in Rampur and Saharanpur, along with Jamia Nagar in Delhi, and forms part of a money laundering probe filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Investigators are examining claims that funds from government contracts were funneled through private contractors and then used to build assets tied to the trust and the university.
SP leader Azam Khan (L) (Image- Newsdrum)
ED sources say the probe has uncovered questionable financial dealings between certain contractors and the trust. The agency believes some contractors who received government contracts channeled a portion of those funds to the trust and university disguised as donations or payment for construction work. Officials stated that the raids were meant to track down the alleged illicit proceeds and gather relevant paperwork, financial documents, and digital evidence tied to the suspected misuse of public funds.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting searches at 10 premises in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur and Saharanpur, and Delhi, linked to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan. The premises being searched include trust and university: Officials
— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2026
Among the locations searched were the office of a chartered accountant based in Saharanpur, along with the premises of two companies and their owners believed to have ties to the trust. Interestingly, not long ago, the university found itself in a separate confrontation with the Rampur Development Authority (RDA). In July, the RDA ordered the demolition of 38 out of the university's 40 buildings, claiming these structures lacked approved construction plans as required under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.
The demolition order sparked student protests, with many fearing it would interfere with their studies. Following this, the divisional commissioner put the demolition on hold and instructed authorities to refrain from further action pending additional orders. Meanwhile, the ED's raids have drawn backlash from the Samajwadi Party and other opposition groups, who allege the government is politically targeting Azam Khan and organizations connected to him. These parties have called on officials to first review the legal dimensions of the university's building dispute before pursuing additional measures.
That said, the ED's raids stem from an entirely separate money laundering case, with the agency currently focused on scrutinizing suspicious financial transactions, government contract funds, and gathering documentation and digital evidence related to the trust and university.
Khan and his wife illegally grabbed land for development
Since 2019, Khan, his wife, Dr. Tazeen Fatima, his son Abdullah Azam Khan, and other trust members have faced numerous criminal cases tied to alleged illegal land grabs, encroachment on government property, forgery, and misuse of public land, including assertions that farmland, government land, and even "enemy property" were improperly folded into the campus. The state government has since cancelled leases on some of this land, citing violations of allotment terms, a move upheld by the Allahabad High Court and left untouched by the Supreme Court.