Delhi Court Grants Interim Bail To Al Falah University Chairman In Money Laundering Case

A Delhi court on Friday granted two weeks of interim bail to Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairman of Al Falah University, in a money laundering case being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement.

The university had come under scrutiny after security agencies revealed that Dr Umar Nabi, accused of carrying out the Red Fort blast last year, had previously been employed at the institution.

The interim bail was granted by Additional Sessions Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan of the Saket court. The court allowed Siddiqui’s plea under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Siddiqui sought temporary release from custody, citing the serious illness of his wife, Usma Akhtar. According to the plea, she is suffering from stage-IV metastatic ovarian cancer and is undergoing aggressive chemotherapy treatment at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

The application submitted before the court stated that Akhtar had undergone debulking surgery in June 2024 and is currently receiving a third line of chemotherapy treatment. It was also noted that Siddiqui has been in judicial custody since November 18, 2025, and that his wife is living alone while battling the advanced stage of cancer.

ED Opposes Bail Plea

The Enforcement Directorate opposed the interim bail request, arguing that Siddiqui’s wife has been receiving regular medical care since 2024 and that other family members could assist her during treatment.

The agency also highlighted the seriousness of the allegations against Siddiqui, stating that he is accused in multiple predicate offences involving large-scale financial wrongdoing. It further informed the court that another FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is pending against him.

After hearing both sides, the court observed that Siddiqui deserved interim bail considering his wife’s health condition and the fact that a chargesheet has already been filed in the case.

Siddiqui was represented by advocates Arshdeep Singh Khurrana, Talib Mustafa, Vishvendra Tomar, Abhishek Singh, Shubh Mathur, Ketan Kumar Roy and Harsh Shrivastava, while Special Public Prosecutor Simon Benjamin appeared on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate.

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