Waqf Board Money Laundering case: Delhi HC seeks ED's reply on interim bail plea of Daud Nasir

Apr 16, 2024

New Delhi [India], April 16 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the interim bail plea of Daud Nasir, an accused in the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case.
He has sought interim bail on the grounds of surgery for his wife, who had an accident.
This case is related to the purchase of a property in Okhla for Rs. 36 crore, out of which Rs. 27 crore was paid in cash. This money is alleged to be ill-gotten.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma asked ED to file a response on the interim bail plea and listed the matter in May. His regular bail plea has also been listed on May 16.
The bench had directed ED to file a reply to the bail plea.
Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta appeared for Nasir and submitted that the petitioner's wife had an accident and got injured in the spine. She has been advised surgery that is scheduled for April 23.
Special counsel Zoheb Hossain and Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Manish Jain appeared through video conferencing. Hossain said he wanted to file a reply.
Nasir is accused in the Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering case. His earlier bail application was dismissed by the trial court on February 22, 2024.
While dismissing the bail plea of Nasir, the trial noted that it is alleged by the ED that Daud Nasir, in his statement under section 50 of the Act, stated about the purchase of properties in Tikona Park, Jamia Nagar, Delhi, for Rs. 13.40 crore. When confronted with the transactions contained in the white diary, he gave evasive replies. When confronted with the sale agreement, with regard to the above property for Rs. 36 crores, extracted from the mobile phone of accused Zeeshan Haider, he admitted the signatures on Certificate, being signatures of him, Zeeshan Haider and Ayesha Qamar.
"There is also force in the contention of the Special public prosecutor (SPP) for the ED that the accused persons have not been able to explain the difference in the amount of sale consideration of Rs.13.40 crores as mentioned in the Agreement for Sale dated September 17, 2021, and the amount of sale consideration of Rs. 36 crore, as mentioned in the Advance Receipt cum Agreement to Sell and Purchase, with regard to the same property total land measuring approx. 1200 sq. yds., situated at Zaidi Villa, T.T.I. Road, Jamia Nagar, Okhla, New Delhi, or the source of funds, out of which payments for the said properties were made by accused Zeeshan Haider and accused Daud Nasir or the huge cash transactions which had taken place in respect of the said properties," the court had observed.
The court also noted that it was also stated that investigation in the predicate offences in FIR no. 05/2020, PS ACB, is pending, ED has already filed a charge sheet in the matter.