Delhi HC refuses interim bail to Al Falah university chairman Jawad Siddiqui in ED cases

THe new delhi heights margaret court has refused to give lag bail of six weeks to Al Falah University group chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, who is in custody in two money laundering cases.Justice Saurabh Banerjee, however, permitted Siddiqui to meet his wife - a stage 4 ovarian cancer patient - on custody parole on three dates.Siddiqui sought interim bail on the ground that his wife's health was critical and he wanted to be with her at this stage of her life.Justice Banerjee observed that there was nothing on record to show any "emergent situation", and in fact, the medical record showed that the condition of Siddiqui's wife was not deteriorating but rather improving.The judge further said that Siddiqui may be a flight risk and can influence the witnesses or try to tamper with evidence if released."Though this court is sympathetic towards the medical condition of the applicant's wife, however, considering the gravity and nature of the allegations levelled against the applicant, and the status of the proceedings, the role assigned to him, his status and position in the university/ society, this court is of the considered opinion that the statutory rigours governing grant of bail cannot be diluted merely on humanitarian considerations, more so, in the absence of any emergent and/ or exceptional circumstance warranting the applicant's immediate release," the court said in the order dated July 13."This court is not inclined to grant interim bail to the present applicant at this stage. However, in order to balance the equities as also taking a humanitarian view, this Court deems it appropriate to grant custody parole to the applicant for a period of three days i.e. 21.07.2026, 23.07.2026 and 25.07.2026," it ordered.Considering that Siddiqui is a high-risk undertrial, the court directed the jail superintendent to make adequate security arrangements for the custody parole and ensure that he can meet his ailing wife at the specified address on July 21, 23 and 25 between 10:00 AM and 04:00 PM.The court clarified that during this period, he would only be permitted to meet his wife, and nobody else.Custody parole entails a prisoner being escorted by armed police personnel to the place of visit.The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed the applications for interim bail.The ED counsel had raised apprehensions of evidence tampering and Siddiqui fleeing from the legal process if released, and suggested that he be permitted to meet his wife in custody parole instead.Siddiqui had moved the high court seeking interim bail of six weeks after the trial court refused to give him reprieve on June 9.He was arrested in two money laundering cases.One money laundering case is linked to the alleged generation of illicit funds from the fees paid by students of his Faridabad-based educational institution.He was arrested on November 18, 2025, in the case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).The ED's probe stems from two FIRs by Delhi Police's Crime Branch alleging that Al Falah University falsely projected NAAC accreditation and UGC recognition to mislead students and parents.The ED has alleged the university generated ₹415.10 crore between 2018 and 2025 and that funds collected from students were diverted for personal use.Siddiqui was subsequently arrested by the ED again in a new money laundering case linked to "fraudulent" acquisition of land worth ₹45 crore in Delhi.Al Falah University came under scrutiny in a 'white-collar terror' probe in which two doctors linked to it were arrested, while another doctor, Umar-un-Nabi, associated with its hospital, was identified as the suicide bomber in the November 10, 2025 blast outside the Red Fort that killed 15 people.