Lucknow, Oct. 28 -- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached land and buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, valued at Rs 426.46 crore in the money laundering case of former state cabinet minister Mohammad Azam Khan and the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. The total value of the properties attached is estimated to be around Rs 1,170 crore, the agency said on Wednesday.

The action was taken by the Lucknow Zonal Office of the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), as part of its investigation into allegations that land and construction material was used to build the university using misappropriated government funds.

The investigation into the case followed 26 FIRs registered in Rampur into allegations that farmers' agricultural land was forcibly seized to build the university. The agency also said that a report by the district administration said around 34 acres of enemy property consisting of 45 plots was illegally occupied for the construction of the university. The land has been reclaimed by the Custodian of Enemy Property under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The ED said that while building the university, funds and construction material was misappropriated by contractors working on government projects. A managing director of one company reportedly said that between 30-40 per cent of the value of their Public Works Department contracts (around Rs 186 crore) was used to purchase construction material for the university.

The agency also said that works worth Rs 6.60 crore were carried out using legislators' local area development funds. Government orders for Rs 23.41 crore were issued for construction of a pandal, boys' hostel for OBCs and hospital block.

The total cost of the construction and land for the campus was valued at Rs 499.09 crore by an independent valuation. Of this, only Rs 72.63 crore could be accounted for, which means Rs 426.46 crore was alleged to be proceeds of crime.

Searches were carried out at the university and associated locations on August 19, 2026. Electronic devices and documents were seized. Investigations are continuing.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.