The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has got a fresh FIR registered against jailed Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and former Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister Azam Khan following its findings of alleged financial irregularities at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, including the suspected diversion of government funds for its construction.
112 cases have been registered against Khan, according to available police records. Judgments have been delivered in at least 16 cases, resulting in his conviction in eight. A valuation report prepared by the district valuation officer in November 2023 assessed the construction cost of buildings on the university campus at ₹ 494.46 crore. However, the trust reported capital expenditure of ₹ 78.32 crore in its income-tax returns for 2013-14 to 2024-25, leaving a difference of ₹ 416.14 crore, according to the ED’s communication to the police. The agency also flagged ₹ 85.81 crore in government-funded resources allegedly diverted or used for the university. In a statement recorded on September 18, Pawan Kumar Jain, managing director of Ceekay Associates Pvt Ltd, reportedly told the ED that his company secured government contracts worth about ₹ 186 crore between 2013-14 and 2016-17 through Khan’s influence. He allegedly said 30-40% of the contract amount was diverted to purchase construction material for the university. The ED estimated that at least ₹ 55.8 crore could have been diverted through the company. The agency also flagged ₹ 23.41 crore sanctioned by the state government for three campus projects — a grand pandal, an OBC boys’ hostel and a hospital — executed by the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam’s CDS Unit-18. A subsequent order in October 2016 transferred its ownership to the university. The agency additionally cited works worth ₹ 6.60 crore allegedly undertaken on the campus using MLA/MLC constituency development funds.
Singh said such actions were bringing disrepute to institutions established to serve a public purpose. A government order initially required the pandal to remain under the ownership of the state culture department and be available free of cost for official use, according to the ED.
