Delhi Blast: ED arrested Al-Falah Group Chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui under Section 19 of PMLA in connection with the investigation into the fake recognition scam related to Faridabad's Al-Falah University.

Delhi Blast: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken major action against the Al-Falah Group, which came into limelight after the blast near the Red Fort in Delhi. The Enforcement Directorate ( ED ), which is investigating the fake recognition and alleged irregularities in the claims of getting recognition, arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman of the Al-Falah Group on Tuesday. The arrest has been made under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This action of the ED comes after the searches that were recently conducted at the places linked to the Al-Falah Group. The agency carried out a detailed analysis of the documents and digital evidence found during the searches, after which the decision of arrest was taken.

How did the investigation begin?

The ED initiated its investigation based on two FIRs registered by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch. These FIRs allege that Al-Falah University, Faridabad, falsely claimed NAAC accreditation and attempted to mislead students, parents, and the general public to gain financial gain. The FIRs also state that the university falsely claimed to be accredited under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956, in order to attract more students.

What did UGC say?

According to the UGC's clarification, Al-Falah University is listed only as a State Private University under Section 2(f). The university never applied for recognition under Section 12(b). Therefore, it is not eligible for any government grants under this provision. This makes it clear that the claims made by the university were not only misleading but also outright fraudulent.

Why is ED's action important?

The ED suspects that the university, based on a fake accreditation, fraudulently admitted a large number of students and generated illegal financial gain through fees and other means. This money was allegedly laundered through money laundering. Documents recovered during the investigation indicate that certain individuals associated with the group may be at the center of this financial misdeed.

What next?

Arrested Chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui will now appear in court, where the ED may seek his custody remand. The investigating agency is conducting a thorough investigation to determine who else was involved in the irregularities and how much money was raised in the name of fake recognition.