ED may attach Al Falah University campus under anti-money laundering law

Al Falah University campus in Haryana’s Faridabad, which came under the scrutiny of investigative agencies following the explosion in the Red Fort area, may be closed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the anti-money laundering law, official sources said on Sunday, January 11, 2026.

Sources said the ED is investigating whether the funds required for the construction of the university were provided from the alleged proceeds of crime. PTI.

Al Falah Group chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui was arrested by the ED in November on money laundering charges linked to cheating with students at educational institutions run by Al Falah Trust. The federal investigative agency claimed that the educational institutions did not have valid accreditation required for teaching.

According to sources, some of the “proceeds of crime” (illegal funds under the Anti-Money Laundering Act) [PMLA]It is suspected that the gases detected in this case were pumped into the construction of various buildings of the university in Dhauj area of ​​Faridabad.

The agency is carrying out a process to identify and value various movable and immovable assets of Al Falah Trust, which owns all educational institutions and the university.

Once the investigation is over, an order will be issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to temporarily attach assets found to have been derived or created from proceeds of crime, sources said.

It is understood that, in line with the interests of academics, university students may be allowed to continue their education without interruption after the sequestration.

Seizure is made to prevent the proceeds of crime from being wasted, sold or processed.

Once the provisional lien is finalized, a government-appointed trustee may be returned or appointed to manage the Al Falah University campus. Sources said that this way, students’ education will not be harmed even if the criminal case and prosecution continues.

The ED, while seeking Mr. Siddiqui’s arrest in November, had said that the university and its controlling trust under Mr. Siddiqui had generated “proceeds of crime” of at least Rs 415.10 crore by “dishonestly” encouraging students and parents to part with money based on fake claims of accreditation and recognition.

According to sources, the agency is also investigating at least five cases where documents related to the General Power of Attorney (GPA) for the acquisition of some land parcels in Delhi were allegedly forged at the behest of Mr. Siddiqui’s trust.

The university’s role came to light during the investigation into the “white collar” terror module, in which more than 10 people, including three doctors, were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Umar-un-Nabi, a doctor at Al Falah medical college, became a suicide bomber on November 10, 2025, when he detonated an explosives-laden car outside the Red Fort in Delhi, killing 15 people.

The ED took information from two Delhi Police FIRs to register its case against Mr. Siddiqui and Al Falah Group under PMLA on November 14.

The agency told the court that the university and its controlling trust under Siddiqui had generated “proceeds of crime” of at least ₹415.1 crore by “dishonestly” encouraging students and parents to part with money based on fake claims of accreditation and recognition.

Mr. Siddiqui’s lawyer told the court that his client was mistakenly involved in the current matter and the two Delhi Police FIRs were “false and fabricated”.

ED alleged that Al Falah University falsely claimed to be a UGC recognized university and misrepresented its NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) accreditation status.

NAAC is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) that evaluates and accredits higher education institutions in the country.

ED said the entire Al Falah Group has experienced a “very rapid rise” since the 1990s and has developed into a major educational institution.