New Delhi, April 1 The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed a trial court to re-examine an Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea against the two-week interim bail granted to Al Falah University group chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui in a money laundering case.
Justice Saurabh Banerjee referred the ED's plea to the special judge, noting that the relief was granted due to his wife's chemotherapy session and the period of release has since expired.
"Considering the peculiar facts and circumstances, especially since the interim bail was granted to the respondent (Siddiqui) in the wake of his wife's chemotherapy session, which was scheduled for March 12, 2026, for a period of two weeks, which has since expired, and since the ED has filed a plea to cancel it, which is pending, it would be in the interest of justice if the present petition is remanded to the learned special judge for hearing it de novo," the court ordered.
The court said that the trial court judge will decide the matter based on a fresh medical record of Siddiqui's wife.
Justice Banerjee also issued a notice to the ED on another petition by Siddiqui challenging his arrest and remand in another money laundering case related to an alleged land fraud earlier this month.
Last week, the ED said it had again arrested Siddiqui in a new money laundering case linked to the "fraudulent" acquisition of a plot of land worth Rs 45 crore in Delhi. The trial court subsequently remanded him to the agency's custody until April 4.
On March 7, the trial court granted a two-week interim bail to Siddiqui in the money laundering case linked to the alleged generation of illicit funds from fees paid by students of his Faridabad-based educational institution.
The trial court granted the relief to allow him to take care of his wife, who is undergoing treatment for stage 4 ovarian cancer.
The ED challenged the order on March 12, arguing that the trial court did not consider his involvement in the Red Fort blast case.
The counsel appearing for the agency contended that the ill health of Siddiqui's wife was only a "ploy" to secure the relief, and the trial court's decision was perverse and contrary to the mandate of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Siddiqui was arrested on November 18, 2025, in the case registered by the ED under the PMLA, linked to the alleged cheating of students enrolled in institutions run by the Al Falah Charitable Trust.
The ED investigation in the case stems from two FIRs by the Delhi Police Crime Branch alleging that Al Falah University falsely projected NAAC accreditation and UGC recognition to mislead students and parents.
The ED has alleged that the university generated Rs 415.10 crore between 2018 and 2025 and that funds collected from students were diverted for personal use.
The varsity also came under scrutiny in a 'white-collar terror' probe in which two doctors linked to it were arrested, while another doctor, Umar-un-Nabi, associated with its hospital, was identified as the suicide bomber in the November 10 Red Fort blast that killed 15 people.