In a major development late Tuesday night, a Delhi court remanded Al Falah University chairman and founder Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui to 13 days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody. Siddiqui was produced before the Saket Court, which approved the ED’s request for custodial interrogation in connection with an ongoing money laundering probe.

The ED confirmed the arrest through an official statement, noting that Siddiqui was taken into custody under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The action followed extensive searches at multiple locations associated with the Al Falah Group, during which key documents and digital evidence were reportedly recovered.

According to the probe agency, the money laundering investigation stems from two FIRs filed by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. The FIRs accuse Al Falah University—based in Faridabad—of making fraudulent claims about its accreditation and recognition status, allegedly to attract students and secure financial gains.

Investigators say the university misrepresented that it held NAAC accreditation and falsely projected itself as recognised under Section 12B of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act—a status that allows institutions to receive central grants. The UGC, however, clarified that Al Falah University is merely listed as a state private university under Section 2(f) and has never applied for recognition under Section 12B.