Red Fort blast case: Al Falah founder acquired land in South Delhi by forging documents in names of 5 deceased ex-owners, probe reveals

The Centre had subsequently asked for a forensic audit of all of the university’s records.

Siddiqui was arrested on November 18, hours after multiple teams of the ED carried out searches at 25 locations linked to the Al Falah group in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

“The arrest was made following a detailed investigation and an analysis of evidence gathered during search action,” an official said.

During the investigation, the ED examined all the financial details and found that forged General Power of Attorney (GPA) was used to sell land in the names of dead owners, and it was ultimately acquired by Tarbia Education Foundation of Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui.

“The probe has also revealed that the land in Khasra no 792, Madanpur Khadar, was acquired through fraud by Tarbia Education Foundation of Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui. The deed records a sale of land in Khasra No. 792 (and related land) in favour of Tarbia Education Foundation, for a consideration of Rs 75,00,000,” a source said.

The ED has found that the GPA is false and fabricated. “The signatures/thumb impressions of the deceased are forged. The land was transferred on the basis of forged GPA and the ultimate beneficiary is Tarbia Education Foundation, which purchased the land on the basis of forged GPA by sellers,” a source said.

After examining all the documents, it has been revealed that one man identified as Vinod Kumar held the power of attorney for at least five landowners, who were dead by the time the power of attorney was registered on January 7, 2004.

“The ED has found that one landowner, Nathu, died on January 1, 1972, followed by Harbans Singh, who died on April 27, 1991; Harkesh, who died on June 12, 1993; Shiv Dayal, who died on January 22, 1998 and Jay Ram, who died on October 15, 1998. ED has found a common pattern that the date of GPA registration of all these people in favour of Vinod Kumar is January 7, 2004, and it was later sold to Tarbia on June 27, 2013,” a source said, adding that it carried the names and signatures or thumb impressions of the deceased landowners.

“The ED has also found that in some of the instances where persons had died much before signing GPA and many persons were already dead when the GPA was executed in January 2004. A GPA said to be signed by a dead person has no legal authority, but despite this, a registered sale deed dated June 27, 2013, was executed,” the source said.

The ED initiated investigation against the Al Falah group on the basis of two FIRs registered by the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch. “They have made allegations that Al Falah University, Faridabad, has made fraudulent and misleading claims of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation with an intention to deceive students, parents, and stakeholders for wrongful gain,” an ED spokesperson had said.

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