ED conducts searches at 25 locations linked to Al Falah University in Delhi and NCR: ‘9 shell companies linked to group’

Last week, ED was asked to review the financial trail of the institution following a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which lasted for one and a half hours and reviewed the progress of the ongoing investigation into the Red Fort blast.

“Nine shell companies linked to the Al-Falah group, all registered at a single address, are under examination… The operation forms part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities, use of shell companies, accommodation entities and money laundering,” said a source.

“In addition, prima facie discrepancies have been noted in claims regarding UGC and NAAC recognition. These aspects are being examined with the concerned authorities,” the source said.

“Early findings point to multiple risk indicators consistent with shell-company behaviour, including – no physical presence or meaningful utility consumption at declared places of business, common mobile number and email across various companies and accounts, absence of EPFO/ESIC filings inconsistent with reported scale of operations, overlapping directors/signatories and weak KYC trails across entities, minimal salary disbursal through banking channels and absence of HR records and synchronised incorporation patterns and common contact coordinates across firms,” a source said.

According to sources Wednesday, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police summoned Javed Ahmed Siddiqui, the chairman and founder of Al Falah University, in connection with alleged fraud and irregularities flagged by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

They said Siddiqui has been asked to appear with documents relating to the accreditation and funding of the Al Falah Charitable Trust, under which nine organisations, including the Al Falah Medical Research Foundation, where blast accused Umar Nabi and Muzammil Ganai were employed, operated.

Meanwhile, amid allegations that two practising doctors from the university may be involved in the November 10 blast, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has suspended Al-Falah University’s membership over concerns about its “good standing.” AIU has also instructed the university to immediately remove the organisation’s name and logo from all its platforms.

At least 12 people were killed and several were injured in the car explosion near the Red Fort complex in the national capital.

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