ED raids Al-Falah University in Faridabad over alleged financial irregularities

THe Enforcement board of directors (ED) on tues conducted co-ordinated look trading operations at Al-Falah University and other premises over alleged financial irregularities, officials said.The university is already under scrutiny after its alleged links to an accused in the recent Red Fort blast.Senior officials privy to the matter said the teams reached early morning and searches began around 5:15am, when ED personnel simultaneously entered over 25 properties associated with the Al-Falah group, its trustees and administrators.Residential premises, offices, and premises linked to associated trusts were searched, with investigators looking for digital records, account books, financial statements, and communication logs.According to an ED official, preliminary findings indicate serious financial discrepancies, including a network of nine suspected shell companies linked to the group.All nine entities were allegedly registered to a single address, with no operational footprint, inconsistent electricity or utility usage, and shared mobile numbers and email IDs.Investigators also found patterns suggesting overlapping directors, weak KYC compliance, minimal salary disbursals through banking channels, and the absence of verifiable HR records.“The incorporation timelines of several companies appear synchronised, and many share identical contact points. These indicators strongly suggest accommodation entities being used to route funds,” an ED officer said.Also Read: Al-Falah probe widens as investigators dig into recruitment, hostel, and financial recordsOfficials are also examining discrepancies in the university’s claims regarding University Grants Commission (UGC) and National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) recognition, with people aware of the matter at ED confirming that relevant documents and communication trails have been seized for verification.The raids comes a week after the central government ordered a forensic audit of all Al-Falah University records, following revelations that Dr Umar Un Nabi, an assistant professor at the university, was the driver of the explosive-laden vehicle that detonated near the Red Fort on November 10.The ED operation is underway, with teams sealing select rooms, seizing electronic devices, and recording statements of administrative staff.A senior ED official said the searches mark “only the first step in a deeper investigation into potential money laundering and shell-company operations linked to the Al-Falah ecosystem.”