New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Al Falah University Chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui in connection with alleged financial and administrative irregularities, officials confirmed on Thursday.

The arrest follows recent action initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and comes after complaints were lodged by the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding suspected violations and fraudulent activities linked to the institution.

Based on the complaint submitted by the UGC, the Crime Branch registered two separate FIRs against Siddiqui, accusing him of fraud and other related offences under relevant legal provisions.

According to police officials, Siddiqui was taken into custody and subsequently produced before a Delhi court.

The court granted the Crime Branch four days of police custody to allow investigators to question him and gather further evidence in the case.

Authorities said the investigation centres around alleged irregularities and falsification of records, although officials indicated that additional details are likely to surface during the course of interrogation.

Al Falah University had earlier come under national scrutiny after it was revealed that Dr Umar Nabi, who carried out the Red Fort blast that resulted in the death of 12 people, had been employed by the institution.

Investigations had also found that two of Nabi’s associates, Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Shahid, were linked to what investigators described as a “white-collar” terror network, and both individuals had also been associated with the university.

In November last year, the university’s website was taken offline after the National Assessment and Accreditation Council issued a show-cause notice over an alleged false claim regarding accreditation status.

The Enforcement Directorate has since stated that it will scrutinise the institution’s financial operations, including funding sources and monetary transactions linked to its medical and administrative staff, as part of the ongoing investigation.

--IANS

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