ED Seizes Al-Falah University Assets Worth Rs 140 Crore in Money Laundering Probe

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday seized assets worth approximately Rs 140 crore belonging to Al-Falah University in connection with a money laundering case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The action comes amid an ongoing investigation into the university following the Red Fort blast in Delhi on November 10, which is being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

According to the ED, a provisional attachment order was issued under the PMLA, covering the university’s 54-acre land parcel located in the Dhauj area of Faridabad. The attachment also includes buildings housing multiple academic departments, schools, and student hostels operating under the university’s umbrella. The development was first reported by news agency PTI.

The investigation agency has also filed a chargesheet naming Jawad Siddiqui and the Al Falah Charitable Trust as accused in the money laundering case. Siddiqui is the chairman of the Al Falah Charitable Trust, which runs the university and oversees its financial and administrative operations.

Al-Falah University came under intense national scrutiny after it emerged that Dr Umar Nabi, one of the key accused behind the Red Fort explosion that claimed 13 lives, was employed at the institution. Investigators later revealed that two of his associates, Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Shahid, were also working at the university at the time.

According to probe agencies, the three doctors were part of a so-called “white-collar” terror network, raising serious concerns about institutional oversight, recruitment processes, and internal controls at the university. The revelations triggered multiple parallel investigations into the functioning and funding of the educational institution.

In November, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) issued a show-cause notice to Al-Falah University over allegations that it had falsely advertised accreditation claims. Following the notice, the university’s official website was taken down, further intensifying questions over its credibility and regulatory compliance.

The Enforcement Directorate has stated that it is now examining the flow of funds into the university, including donations received by the Al Falah Charitable Trust and the financial transactions linked to the doctors accused in the terror case. Officials indicated that the probe will focus on identifying proceeds of crime and determining whether institutional resources were misused.

With both the NIA and ED actively investigating different aspects of the case, Al-Falah University finds itself at the centre of a widening legal and regulatory storm, raising broader concerns about security vetting, financial transparency, and accountability within private educational institutions.