Red Fort blast: Delhi Police summons Al Falah chairman Javed Ahmed Siddiqui

“He (Siddiqui) has been asked to submit documents relating to his firm, the trust, and all records concerning the university’s accreditation under the UGC. The notice has been issued under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act,” an officer said.

Section 12 of the Act deals with the powers and functions of the Commission.

The Crime Branch has registered two separate FIRs after the NAAC issued notice to the university stating that its accreditation had expired, and asking why legal action should not be initiated against it.

The NAAC is an autonomous body under the UGC that assesses and accredits higher educational institutions (HEI) such as colleges and universities to understand their ‘quality status’.

The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has suspended the membership of Al Falah University citing concerns over the institution’s lack of “good standing”, and has directed the university to immediately remove the AIU name and logo from all its platforms.

The Inter-State Cell (ISC) of the Crime Branch has been tasked with probing the alleged irregularities and fraudulent activities on the Al Falah campus. Investigations have found that the planning for a terror attack was carried out on campus by Umar and Muzammil.

A day after the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted raids in Faridabad and recovered 2,900 kg of explosives and bomb-making materials, Umar fled with his explosives-laden Hyundai i20 to Nuh. He returned to Delhi on November 10, the day the car exploded at the Red Fort, killing at least 10 people.

Al Falah founder Siddiqui belongs to Madhya Pradesh, and graduated from Indore’s Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya. He became a director of Al Falah Investment company in 1992, and later established the Al Falah Trust. The business subsequently expanded into education, software, financial services, and the energy sector. However, most of these firms were eventually shut down.

The Al Falah Medical Research Foundation, which is the focus of the criminal probe in the blast, operates within the university campus spread over 70 acres in Dhauj village in Faridabad. Its headquarters in Delhi’s Okhla was visited by a team from the Crime Branch on Saturday.

Siddiqui was booked in a case of alleged investment fraud in 2000 in New Friends Colony in south-east Delhi. He was arrested in 2001, and was granted bail in 2004 on the condition that he would refund the investors, officials said.

Officials said that the Crime Branch will also review the previous allegations against Siddiqui.

From the homepage

Red Fort blast: NIA makes first arrest, accused Umar Nabi’s close aide nabbed

‘No terror conspiracy or outside interference’ behind Nowgam blast: J-K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha

Eden Gardens Test: India lose at home yet again, Simon Harmer leads South Africa’s famous win