Amanatullah Khan was arrested by the ACB on 16 September in a corruption case.
New Delhi:
Former Delhi Congress MLA Asif Khan on Monday came out in support of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, who was arrested by the ACB, saying the BJP government at the Center was “misusing” its agencies to “harass” minorities. .
The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) had arrested Amanatullah Khan on September 16 in a corruption case.
The ACB is probing alleged irregularities in recruitment in the Delhi Waqf Board, which is headed by Amanatullah Khan, and raided four places, including his residence in Okhla.
Asif Khan claimed that the raids by the ACB at the AAP leader’s house and other places have created panic among the local people of the area.
However, he clarified that he is not giving a clean chit to the AAP MLA.
The Congress leader said, “Why is the ACB harassing Khan’s family and creating panic in Jamia Nagar area? I am completely against the misuse of agencies by the BJP government at the Centre, especially against minorities.”
The ACB had claimed that a blockade was created during the raid at the residence of the AAP MLA. Four persons have been arrested for allegedly obstructing the officers in performing their duty.
Some Delhi Congress leaders said Asif Khan’s decision to support the AAP MLA was his “personal matter” but he should have avoided it.
Meanwhile, Asif Khan said that he is and will remain a ‘hardcore’ Congressman.
He said, “I am not supporting AAP, my support is for Khan and his family. There is a lot of resentment among the local people and as a politician, I sympathize with them. This will ultimately benefit the Congress.”
Asif Khan has been a two-time MLA from Okhla constituency. In the 2015 assembly elections, he was defeated by Amanatullah Khan.
According to the ACB, Amanatullah Khan while working as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board recruited 32 people illegally in violation of all norms and government guidelines and amid allegations of corruption and favoritism.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)