Delhi court grants interim bail to Al-Falah chairman Jawed Siddiqui in money laundering case
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court has granted two-week interim bail to Al-Falah group chairman Jawed Siddiqui in a money laundering case to allow him to take care of his wife, who is undergoing treatment for stage 4 ovarian cancer.
Additional Sessions Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan on Saturday granted the relief to Siddiqui, noting that his wife was undergoing chemotherapy and required support during treatment.
"After considering all the present facts and circumstances, I am of the considered view that applicant/accused deserves to be enlarged on interim bail as the wife of accused is unwell," the court said in its order.
It noted that Siddiqui's wife was undergoing chemotherapy at a Delhi hospital and that the medical documents placed on record were not disputed by the Enforcement Directorate.
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It also observed that the couple's three children were studying in the UAE and unable to travel to India, leaving the woman without immediate family support.
"The wife of accused/ applicant requires care and support, cannot be ignored and it is also a fact that she does not have her family or children besides her and it is only the accused/ applicant being her husband who is required to give her support," the court said.
Siddiqui, who was arrested on November 18, 2025 in the case registered by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and linked to the alleged cheating of students enrolled in institutions run by the Al Falah Charitable Trust, was granted the interim bail for two weeks on furnishing a personal bond and surety of Rs 1 lakh each.
The court directed him not to leave Delhi-NCR without permission, to keep his mobile phone active, surrender his passport and not contact witnesses or the complainant during the period of release.
The ED had opposed the plea, arguing that Siddiqui was involved in serious offences and could influence the investigation, but the court said the accused has joined investigation and made no attempts to flee till date. It stated that any further apprehensions could be addressed by imposing conditions.
On February 5, the agency arrested Siddiqui on charges of forgery over alleged irregularities in the functioning of a private university. He was produced in court on Saturday.
The ED probe in the money laundering case stems from two FIRs by the Delhi Police 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 Rs 415.10 crore between 2018 and 2025 and that funds collected from students were diverted for personal use.
The varsity had also come 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 blast outside the Red Fort that killed 15 people.
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Iran attacks oil tanker near Dubai; Trump warns of strikes on energy sites if Hormuz remains shut
Tel Aviv/Washington: Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker off Dubai on Monday after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would target Iran’s energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
According to a Reuters report, the Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi is owned by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and was capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of crude. . It was struck in what authorities later described as a drone attack. The company said the incident occurred early Tuesday, causing a fire and hull damage. No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control, Dubai authorities said .
Oil prices rose briefly following the attack and added to volatility in global energy markets. In the United States, retail gasoline prices crossed $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years, according to data from GasBuddy, as crude prices moved above $101 per barrel.
Israel said it carried out missile strikes on military infrastructure in Tehran and on sites linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut. Explosions were reported in parts of Tehran, with Iran’s Tasnim news agency saying power outages occurred in the eastern Pirouzi district following the blasts.
The Israel Defense Forces said four soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. In recent days, three peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were also killed in separate incidents in the same area.
Iran’s military spokesperson said Tehran’s latest wave of missile and drone strikes targeted US military positions at five bases in the region and sites in Israel. Thousands of troops from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East, according to US officials, expanding Washington’s military options even as diplomatic efforts continue.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Reuters Trump wants an agreement with Iranian leaders before a revised April 6 deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, adding that talks were progressing, while public statements from Tehran differed from private communications.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said proposals received through intermediaries were “unrealistic” and maintained that Iran was focused on defending itself.
In a social media post, Trump said that if a deal is not reached soon and the strait is not reopened, the US would strike Iran’s electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island. However, a report in The Wall Street Journal said Trump had told aides he may be willing to end the military campaign even if the strait remains largely closed and address reopening it later. The White House referred to earlier remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the strait would be opened “one way or another.”
The administration has also requested an additional $200 billion in funding for the conflict, a proposal that faces opposition in the US Congress.
