In a significant setback for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi ordered the release of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan on Thursday, granting him bail on a bond of ₹1 lakh and a surety. The court described Khan’s detention by the ED in connection with the Delhi Waqf Board case as “illegal.”

The court denied cognizance of the ED’s chargesheet against Khan, stating that while there was enough material to proceed with the case, the chargesheet lacked the required sanction. Special Judge Jitendra Singh, who reserved his order after arguments on Wednesday, pronounced the decision today.

The ED had filed a 110-page supplementary prosecution complaint on October 29, accusing Khan of laundering money allegedly obtained through corruption in the Waqf Board. According to the chargesheet, Khan, alongside unnamed co-accused Mariam Siddiqui, was implicated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). However, Siddiqui was not detained in the case.

Khan’s arrest by the ED on September 2 was rooted in money laundering allegations, which stemmed from two First Information Reports (FIRs): one by the Central Bureau of Investigation regarding suspected Waqf Board irregularities, and a second disproportionate assets case registered by the Delhi Police anti-corruption unit. Following a search at his Delhi residence, the ED alleged that Khan had been “evasive” during questioning.

Today’s ruling represents a major development in the ongoing investigation, as the court’s critical view of the ED’s procedural lapses could influence future proceedings in the case.