Delhi car blast: ED raids Al Falah University office in Okhla, several other locations

Amid the ongoing probe in the Delhi car blast case, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at multiple locations in Delhi-NCR linked to Al-Falah University on Tuesday morning.

 

Several promoters and other persons linked to the institution have also been raided.

 

The university based in Haryana’s Faridabad is under the radar of the security agencies after three doctors working there were found to be involved in the conspiracy of the blast that rocked the Red Fort area of the national capital on November 10.

 

The places where the ED carried out searches included an office of the university at Okhla in South East Delhi. 

 

"The operation forms part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities, use of shell companies, accommodation entities and money laundering," the agency said in a statement.

 

The ED is taking action under the anti-money laundering law following cognisance of the first information reports filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Delhi Police.

 

According to ED officials, nine shell companies linked to the Al-Falah group, all registered in a single address, are under investigation. Early findings point to multiple risk indicators consistent with shell-company behaviour, they said.

 

The ED has found that a common mobile number and email address have been used across various companies and accounts. "There was no physical presence or meaningful utility consumption at declared places of business," it said.

 

The ED raids revealed discrepancies in EPFO/ESIC filings and the overlapping of directors/signatories and KYC trails across entities.

 

There were no HR records, while a minimal salary disbursal was done through banking channels. The agency also claimed that prima facie, discrepancies have been noted in claims regarding UGC and NAAC recognition.

 

Thirteen people were killed and over 30 others injured after a slow-moving car exploded at a traffic signal near the Red Fort on November 10. The man who drove the vehicle has been identified as Dr Umar Un Nabi, a doctor affiliated with Al Falah University.

 

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police and the Crime Branch have filed two separate FIRs against the university under charges of cheating and forgery.

 

The institution is accused of having lured students into admissions by falsely claiming a UGC 12B certificate on its official website. It also allegedly accepted admissions despite its National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation having expired in 2018. 

India