The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached the land and buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, in a money laundering case linked to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan. The attached assets, which include 59 buildings and land on the campus, have an estimated current market value of about Rs 1,170 crore, according to reports on the agency's action on Wednesday, October 28.
The order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED has pegged the alleged proceeds of crime at Rs 426.46 crore. The allegations are yet to be tested in court, and a provisional attachment must be confirmed by the PMLA adjudicating authority.
Who runs the university
The university is run by the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. According to the ED, the trust was set up and is controlled by Azam Khan, a former Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister, who is also the university's honorary Chancellor. The Income Tax Department has separately revoked the trust's registration under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
How the case was built
The ED's probe draws on 54 FIRs registered by Uttar Pradesh Police. Twenty-six of them were filed at Rampur's Azeem Nagar police station and allege that farmers' agricultural land was forcibly taken for the university. Another 28 FIRs, registered by Rampur Police, involve allegations of house demolitions, evictions and misappropriation of property.
The agency also alleges illegal occupation of about 34 acres of enemy property at Singhankhera village. The custodian of enemy property has since cancelled the lease and regained possession with the help of the Rampur administration.
Key allegations by the ED
- Public works worth Rs 6.60 crore were allegedly carried out on the private campus using MLA and MLC local area development funds.
- Government sanctions of Rs 23.41 crore were allegedly used for a pandal, an OBC boys' hostel and a hospital block on the campus.
- A contractor's managing director allegedly told investigators that 30-40% of a PWD contract worth about Rs 186 crore went toward construction material for the university.
- The ED says funds from contractors "who had been allotted Govt contracts were routed back to the Trust as donations".
How the ED arrived at Rs 426.46 crore
| ED's valuation of campus | Rs 499.09 crore |
| Cost explained by legitimate sources | Rs 72.63 crore |
| Alleged proceeds of crime | Rs 426.46 crore |
| Estimated market value of attached assets | About Rs 1,170 crore |
| FIRs taken up by ED | 54 (26 + 28) |
| Searches | August 19, 2026 |
| Law invoked | Prevention of Money Laundering Act |
According to the agency, the trust declared capital expenditure of Rs 78.32 crore in its tax returns, but Rs 12.29 crore of the donations behind it were found to be non-genuine. After adjusting for this, only Rs 72.63 crore of the campus cost could be traced to legitimate sources. The ED treats the rest as alleged proceeds of crime. The agency had searched the university and related premises on August 19, seizing electronic devices and records.
Political significance
Azam Khan is one of the Samajwadi Party's senior-most leaders and has been a powerful figure in Rampur politics for decades. The university was his flagship project. The ED action adds to a long list of cases he faces and is likely to sharpen the political battle between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. No response from Azam Khan or the university was available at the time of writing.
What this means for students
A provisional attachment under the PMLA usually stops the sale or transfer of the property, but it does not by itself shut down an institution. Students and staff will be watching closely for any official word on how the university's operations will be handled while the case goes on.
What happens next
The ED will place the attachment order before the PMLA adjudicating authority for confirmation. The trust and Azam Khan can contest the order there and in higher courts. The agency may also file a prosecution complaint in the special PMLA court as its investigation progresses.
Comments (0)