ED arrests founder of Rampur university trust in money laundering case
The ED has arrested the founder of the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust under the PMLA, alleging that funds meant for public works were diverted to the trust's university in Rampur.
Key points
- The ED arrested the founder of the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust under the PMLA on 31 October 2026; a Ghaziabad court sent him to 14 days' judicial custody.
- The ED has provisionally attached university land and buildings held by the trust to the extent of Rs 426.46 crore, now valued at around Rs 1,170 crore.
- The ED alleges public works funds were diverted to the university; the attachment must be confirmed by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.
Photo: Lupus in Saxonia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped). Representational image.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on 1 November 2026 that its Lucknow zonal office arrested the founder of the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, who is also Chancellor of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, on 31 October 2026 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. A Special PMLA Court in Ghaziabad has sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. The ED has also provisionally attached the university's land and buildings, held by the trust, to the extent of Rs 426.46 crore.
What Happened
The ED said its case began from 26 FIRs registered by Uttar Pradesh Police at Azeem Nagar police station, Rampur, in July 2019 under sections 323, 342, 384, 447, 504 and 506 of the IPC. According to the ED, these FIRs alleged that agricultural land of farmers of Singankhera village in Rampur was forcibly occupied for the university, and that farmers were coerced through assault, unlawful confinement and threats into signing sale deeds in its favour.
The ED has alleged that its investigation found funds and material meant for public works were diverted to the university, that government works were carried out on its private campus, and that money from contractors who had been allotted government contracts was routed back to the trust as donations. On the ED's information, a new FIR under the BNS, 2023 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was registered on 13 October 2026, and 28 other FIRs registered at Rampur for robbery, extortion, cheating and forgery were also taken up for investigation, the agency said.
The provisional attachment was made on 28 October 2026. The ED said the present value of the attached property is around Rs 1,170 crore. It had earlier searched the university and related premises at Rampur in August 2026 and seized documents and electronic devices.
What It Means
A provisional attachment is a temporary freeze on property that the ED says is linked to the alleged offence. It must be confirmed by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority before it becomes final. The ED said further investigation is in progress.
These are allegations, not findings of guilt; the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and due process continues.
This report describes enforcement actions and allegations on the public record, attributed to the officials cited. An order, FIR or chargesheet is not a conviction; parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Sources & Citations
- Enforcement Directorate press release — Enforcement Directorate