Delhi HC Directs AAP Leader Amanatullah Khan to File Response in Plea Challenging Grant of Anticipatory Bail
The Delhi High Court, on Tuesday, sought the response of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in a plea filed by the State challenging the anticipatory bail granted to Khan in a case of attack on police officers in the Jamia Nagar Area. The bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja issued notice to Khan and listed the matter for August 27, 2025.
Per the facts of the case, on February 10, 2025, at 3:00 PM, a police team attempted to arrest Shahwez Khan when Amanatullah Khan and a group of 20 to 25 individuals intervened. The police alleged that they obstructed official duties and engaged in a scuffle, ultimately enabling Shahwez Khan to escape. Based on these allegations, an FIR was registered at Jamia Nagar Police Station under various sections of the BNSS, 2023.
The trial court, through an order dated Feburary 10, granted interim relief to Khan, noting that allegations by the police that Khan was facilitating the escape of “Shahwej Khan does not seem to carry weight as he (Shahwej Khan) was already on anticipatory bail in the case in which allegedly police had gone to arrest him”.
Additionally, the trial court, through an order dated February 25, had granted anticipatory bail to Khan. The trial court observed that the cases against Khan prescribe less than seven years of punishment and therefore, 'custodial interrogation' was not required.
The counsel representing the State informed the court that about 26 cases are pending against Khan. The State further contended that the trial court erred in granting relief to Khan without assessing the gravity of the allegations against him.
Background:
Khan was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate for his involvement in illegal recruitment practices and the misappropriation of Waqf Board funds for personal gain. The agency claimed that Khan “utilized the proceeds of crime from these illegal recruitments to acquire assets in the name of associates.” The ED proceeded to file a chargesheet against Khan and four other persons, including three of his associates- Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir, and Jawed Imam Siddiqui. These individuals were arrested in November 2023 during raids on the MLA’s premises.
A bench headed by Justice Rekha Palli heard Khan’s case in January 2024 and refrained from issuing any immediate orders. Subsequently, the ED issued summons against the former MLA, who moved the Delhi High Court challenging these.
In February 2024, a bench comprising Justices Rekha Palli and Rajnish Bhatnagar refused to stay the summons and questioned the maintainability of Khan’s plea. Khan later withdrew his plea.
In March 2024, Khan filed a bail application before a trial court, which was dismissed. He then approached the High Court, filing an appeal against the trial court’s order.
Khan claimed innocence of criminal wrongdoing and violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and stated that his life and liberty must be protected from the unwarranted and unjustified encroachment of the ED. He further said that he was being targeted through frivolous and baseless allegations.
Notably, Khan had accused the government of targeting him and other AAP leaders. He was represented in the court by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal along with other advocates.
After his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by both the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court, Khan was arrested by the ED.
In September 2024, Khan challenged his arrest and remand, based on a trial court order, in the Delhi High Court. His counsel, Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari told the court that the MLA’s arrest was illegal and sought that the remand order passed by the trial court be quashed.
However, Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain, representing the ED, said that Khan had previously suppressed material facts during his anticipatory bail application.
Case Title: State v Amanatullah Khan (CRL.M.C. 3164/2025)
[Inputs: the Hindu]