The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice to AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan in connection with the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case.

A bench of Justice Vikash Mahajan was hearing a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the trial court’s refusal to take cognisance of a charge sheet filed against Amanatullah Khan. Asking Amanatullah Khan to respond to the ED’s plea, the Justice Mahajan-led Bench directed the trial court to defer the proceedings till March 21.

On November 14 last year, the Rouse Avenue Court refused to take cognisance of a prosecution complaint filed by the federal anti-money laundering agency against Amanatullah Khan, saying that while there was sufficient evidence to proceed against the former Chairman of the Waqf Board under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the charge sheet was filed without obtaining the requisite sanction under the law. Thereafter, Special Judge Jitendra Singh had ordered that the AAP MLA from Delhi’s Okhla constituency should be released from custody, on furnishing Rs 1 lakh personal bond with a surety of the like amount.

The ED is investigating suspected money laundering related to alleged wrongful appointment of employees and leasing of assets of the Delhi Waqf Board during the tenure of Amanatullah Khan as its head.