The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairman of Al Falah University, in connection with alleged financial and administrative irregularities, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The arrest follows the registration of two separate First Information Reports based on complaints submitted by the University Grants Commission. Acting on these complaints, the Crime Branch initiated a criminal investigation accusing Siddiqui of fraud, falsification of records and other related offences.
According to police officials, Siddiqui was taken into custody and produced before a court in Delhi, which granted the investigating agency four days of police remand to facilitate detailed questioning and collection of evidence. Investigators said the custody period would be used to examine documents, trace financial transactions and question Siddiqui about the alleged irregularities flagged by the UGC.
The arrest comes shortly after action by the Enforcement Directorate, which has also begun examining the university’s financial dealings. Officials indicated that the case may involve deeper scrutiny of funding sources and institutional operations, with further disclosures expected as the probe progresses.
Al Falah University had earlier come under national scrutiny after it emerged that Dr Umar Nabi, who was convicted in the Red Fort blast case that claimed 13 lives, had been employed at the institution. Two of his associates — Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Shahid — whom investigators have linked to a so-called “white-collar” terror network, were also reported to have worked at the university, raising serious concerns among authorities.
In November, the university faced additional regulatory action when its official website was taken offline following a show-cause notice issued by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council over an alleged false claim related to accreditation status. The Enforcement Directorate has since stated that it will closely examine the institution’s funding patterns and financial transactions connected to its academic and medical staff.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing and that further developments are likely as agencies coordinate their inquiries into the alleged violations.
