The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, founder of Al-Falah University and chairman of the Al-Falah Group, in a money laundering case that is also being examined for potential terror-financing links, officials said.
The move comes amid intense scrutiny of the Faridabad-based university, which investigators have described as the hub of a “white-collar” terror module connected to the November 10 Red Fort blast that killed 14 people and injured several others. Earlier in the day, India Today TV reported that Siddiqui was under questioning and that his home was being searched.
ED officials said the arrest followed a detailed examination of material seized during raids at the university campus and other premises linked to the Al-Falah Group.
FIRs on fake accreditation triggered probe
According to sources, the ED inquiry began after two FIRs filed by the Delhi Police Crime Branch accused Al-Falah University of falsely claiming NAAC accreditation and wrongly presenting itself as recognised under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, thereby misleading students and parents.
The UGC later clarified that the university is listed only under Section 2(f) as a state private university and has never been eligible for grants under Section 12(B).
Trust structure and money trail
Sources said the Al-Falah Charitable Trust, set up in 1995 with Siddiqui as founding and managing trustee, owns and consolidates the finances of all educational institutions under the Al-Falah Group. While the trust and its institutions expanded rapidly from the 1990s onwards, investigators say the growth was not backed by corresponding financial records.
Searches at the university and at the homes of key functionaries allegedly revealed that proceeds of crime running into crores of rupees were generated and siphoned off. Evidence has been found that trust funds were routed to family-controlled entities, with construction and catering contracts allegedly awarded to firms linked to Siddiqui’s wife and children.
Rs 48 lakh cash seized, shell firms traced
During the operation, the ED seized Rs 48 lakh in cash, digital devices and extensive financial records. The agency has also identified multiple shell companies tied to the group and flagged suspected violations under several other laws.
Sources said the material recovered points to a clear pattern of fund diversion, layering and misuse of trust money, with Siddiqui exercising effective control over both finances and key decisions.
Possible terror-financing angle
Alongside the money laundering probe, the ED is investigating whether any portion of the alleged laundered funds may have been routed to individuals linked to the November 10 Red Fort blast, which left 14 people dead. This line of inquiry is still in progress.
After establishing Siddiqui’s alleged role in generating and layering the proceeds of crime, the ED arrested him on November 18, 2025, following due legal procedure. Further investigation is underway.
Links to arrested doctors and Red Fort blast
Several people associated with Al-Falah University, including Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Sayeed — both already arrested in the Faridabad terror module probe — remain under investigation. Dr Umar Nabi, who was driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort, had also been employed as an assistant professor at the university.
Before the blast, authorities had unearthed a large network spanning Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and seized 2,900 kg of explosive material from two rented rooms in Faridabad.
The investigation has led to multiple arrests and detentions, including two doctors associated with Al-Falah University and a cleric from a mosque in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir.