Delhi blast probe: Al Falah university's chairman to be in ED custody for 13 days

In a significant development in the money laundering investigation tied to Al Falah University and the November 10 Red Fort blast, a Delhi court has remanded Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman of the Al Falah Group, to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for 13 days, until December 1.

Siddiqui, who also serves as the university’s chancellor and a founding trustee of the Al Falah Trust, was arrested on Tuesday following extensive raids by the intelligence agency.

The ED launched coordinated searches at 19 locations across Delhi-NCR early Tuesday morning, seizing Rs 48 lakh in cash. The operations—beginning around 5:15 am—focused on premises linked to trustees and promoters of Faridabad-based Al Falah University, which is now at the centre of allegations involving large-scale financial misconduct and possible ties to suspects connected with the deadly Red Fort car explosion that killed 15 people.

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Security forces cordoned off the Al Falah Trust office in Delhi’s Okhla area as ED teams conducted hours-long searches. Officials say preliminary findings indicate that the trust, established in September 1995 with Siddiqui as a managing trustee, diverted substantial funds into businesses run by his family members. Investigators claim that construction and catering contracts were repeatedly awarded to companies controlled by Siddiqui’s wife and children.

The ED also reported unearthing at least nine shell companies registered at a single address—an indicator, it says, of systematic layering used to obscure the flow of illicit funds. The agency has described the Al Falah Group’s rise since the 1990s as “meteoric” but unsupported by legitimate financial sources.

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Adding to the controversy, a Delhi Police FIR suggests that Al Falah University misrepresented its accreditation status by falsely claiming NAAC approval and UGC recognition under Section 12(B). According to investigators, these claims misled students and parents while enabling the institution to earn substantial revenue.

Financial probes peeled back the layers of the trust and its institutions, exposing irregularities rooted deep within the system.

The ED told the court that false accreditation claims generated nearly Rs 415 crore in revenue over seven years. Income tax filings showed that between 2014–15 and 2015–16, the university declared over Rs 60 crore as donations; from 2016 onward, it reclassified its income as academic revenue. A sharp spike followed: from Rs 24.21 crore in 2018–19 to Rs 80.01 crore in 2024–25.

Investigators allege that the university continued collecting full fees from students despite lacking valid accreditation—a practice they say amounts to forgery and fraud.

Evidence gathered during the PMLA probe indicates that student fees were siphoned for personal use. Statements from senior officials, including CFO Mohammad Razi, further confirm that all major financial decisions rested with Siddiqui.

The investigation has also uncovered troubling links between Al Falah University and individuals implicated in the Red Fort blast. Dr Umar Nabi—who died in the car explosion—and his associates Shaheen Saeed, Muzammil Shakeel, and Adil Rather reportedly worked at the university and are suspected of diverting chemicals from campus laboratories to build the explosive device.

Also read | What conspired in Room 13 at Al-Falah University ahead of the Delhi blast?

With Siddiqui now in ED custody, officials say the probe into alleged money laundering, financial fraud, and terror financing is expected to intensify in the coming days.

(With inputs from agencies)