The Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached land and buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur with an estimated current market value of about ₹1,170 crore in a money laundering investigation involving the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and others.
The agency said the attached properties represent alleged proceeds of crime valued at ₹426.46 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The university, located in Jauhar Nagar at Singhankhera village in Rampur, is owned by the trust founded and controlled by Azam Khan, who serves as its honorary chancellor.
The investigation stems from allegations that land for the university was acquired illegally and that public funds and resources were diverted for construction on the private campus.
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ED Cites FIRs, Land Allegations and Public Fund Diversion
The ED said its investigation was initiated on the basis of 26 FIRs registered at Azeem Nagar police station in Rampur. These included allegations that farmers were coerced into surrendering agricultural land for expansion of the university campus.
The agency also referred to a district administration inquiry that allegedly found illegal occupation of 45 plots of enemy property in Singhankhera village.
According to the ED, its investigation found evidence suggesting diversion of government funds, use of publicly financed construction works on the university campus and routing of donations through contractors that had secured state government contracts.
The agency shared its findings with Uttar Pradesh Police, following which a fresh FIR was registered at Azeem Nagar police station on October 13, 2026, against Azam Khan, the trust and others.
The ED has also taken cognisance of 28 additional criminal cases registered against Azam Khan and his associates, most of which have resulted in chargesheets, according to officials.
Contractors and Government Funds Come Under Scrutiny
The ED claimed that the managing director of a company awarded Public Works Department contracts worth nearly ₹186 crore admitted that 30 to 40 per cent of the contract value was spent on purchasing construction material used at the university.
Another contracting firm allegedly donated ₹40 lakh to the trust, while its partners told investigators that they were operating under Azam Khan’s influence.
Investigators further alleged that ₹6.60 crore from MLA and MLC local area development schemes was spent on works inside the university campus through Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam.
At the time, Jal Nigam was under Azam Khan’s administrative control while he was a cabinet minister in the Uttar Pradesh government led by Akhilesh Yadav.
The ED also said the state government had sanctioned ₹23.41 crore for construction of a pandal, an OBC boys’ hostel and a hospital block on the campus.
According to the agency, a 2016 government order modified conditions contained in an earlier 2015 sanction and effectively transferred ownership of a government-funded pandal to the university, converting a publicly financed asset into private property.
₹426.46 Crore Treated as Alleged Proceeds of Crime
A valuation report assessed the construction cost of 59 buildings on the campus at ₹494.46 crore, while land acquired through 114 sale deeds was valued at ₹4.63 crore. This placed the total estimated cost of the university complex at ₹499.09 crore.
However, the trust declared capital expenditure of only ₹78.32 crore in its income tax records.
After examining donations and other funding sources, the ED concluded that only ₹72.63 crore could be explained through what it considered legitimate means.
The remaining ₹426.46 crore was identified by the agency as alleged proceeds of crime generated through unlawful activities.
The ED said office-bearers of the trust failed to satisfactorily explain the source of funds used for construction of the campus. It consequently provisionally attached university land and buildings equivalent to the alleged proceeds of crime.
The present attachment marks a significant enforcement step in the wider money laundering investigation, with assets carrying an estimated market value of about ₹1,170 crore now under provisional attachment while the case proceeds.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
