Exposed: Al Falah University's Rs 415 Crore Fraud Scheme and Terror Connections

New Delhi:

Extensive irregularities have been uncovered at the Al Falah Charitable Trust and its associated institutions based in Faridabad, which are currently under investigation following the November 10 Delhi blast. These institutions stand accused of generating substantial profits through falsified accreditation claims, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) informing the court that approximately Rs 415 crore was earned through these deceptive practices.

Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, the founder and chairman of Al Falah, has been taken into custody by the ED as part of a money laundering investigation linked to terror financing. A court has placed him in ED custody for 13 days, until December 1.

The investigation into alleged violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has revealed that the bank accounts and income tax returns (ITRs) of these institutions operated under a single Permanent Account Number (PAN), suggesting centralized financial control within one trust.

Read: Al Falah Students Split Between Going Home And Staying For Exams Amid Probe

Analysis of the ITRs since 2014-15 has revealed alarming figures. During 2014-15 and 2015-16, the trust reported Rs 30.89 crore and Rs 29.48 crore as donations respectively. From 2016-17 onward, the university began categorizing its income as academic revenue. A notable increase in income was observed beginning in 2018-19, rising from Rs 24.21 crore to Rs 80.01 crore in 2024-25. This amounted to a total of Rs 415 crore over these seven years.

The university collected full tuition fees from students despite operating without proper accreditation, actions that constitute fraud and forgery. Cases filed against the university allege that students were admitted using false accreditation credentials, fraudulent documents were created, and "illegal income" was generated through these practices.

During the PMLA investigation, substantial evidence was discovered indicating that the university defrauded the public and misappropriated student fees for personal and private purposes, according to ED allegations.

Read: Universities' Body Suspends Al Falah's Membership After Red Fort Blast

Additionally, it has been acknowledged that Jawad Siddiqui, who also serves as the University's Chancellor, made all significant financial decisions. For example, Mohammad Razi, Al Falah's chief financial officer, stated that he reported directly to Siddiqui, who had final authority on all financial matters.

The Al Falah University, situated on a 70-acre campus in Faridabad, has emerged as a common connection between several terror suspects being investigated in relation to the blast near Red Fort that killed 13 people on November 10.

Dr. Umar Mohammad, also known as Dr. Umar un-Naib, who died in a self-detonated explosion in an i20 car, and his associates Shaheen Saeed, Muzammil Shakeel, and Adil Rather were employed at Al Falah. They allegedly smuggled chemicals from the university laboratory to create the explosive that Mohammad detonated near Red Fort.