The ED has attached a Sant Kabir Nagar plot linked to Maulana Shamsul Huda Khan in a money laundering case. The agency says the property matches alleged proceeds from salary, pension and allowances drawn after he became a British citizen.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has provisionally attached a residential plot worth Rs 53.46 lakh belonging to a Uttar Pradesh madrasa teacher who continued to draw salary, pension and other benefits from the state government after acquiring British citizenship.
The 189.75-square-metre plot, located in Sant Kabir Nagar district, was attached by the ED’s Lucknow zonal office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case against Maulana Shamsul Huda Khan, the agency said in a statement.
According to the ED, Khan acquired British citizenship in December 2013 and consequently ceased to be an Indian citizen. However, the agency alleged that he concealed this fact and continued to work as an assistant teacher at a government-aided madrasa in Mubarakpur, Azamgarh.
Khan continued to remain on the records as an employee from 2007 to 2017 and drew salary despite his service never being verified, the ED said.
An inquiry by the Minority Welfare and Waqf Department found that Khan’s service during 2007-2017 had never been verified. Despite this, he was granted voluntary retirement in 2017 along with a regular pension, according to the agency.
The ED said Khan received around Rs 53.46 lakh from the Uttar Pradesh government towards salary, pension, GPF and other allowances. The agency described the amount as “proceeds of crime” under the PMLA.
According to the ED, Khan used his surrendered Indian passport along with his PAN, Aadhaar and Voter ID to purchase immovable properties in Sant Kabir Nagar even after acquiring British citizenship.
The agency said Khan had purchased the 189.75-square-metre plot in Khalilabad after obtaining British citizenship.