A court in Saharanpur has issued a non-bailable warrant against Congress MP Imran Masood for the fourth time in connection with the 2007 municipal corporation scam. His associate, Zulfiqar Ali, has surrendered. The next hearing is scheduled for July 25.
UP News: A special CBI/ED court in Ghaziabad has once again issued a non-bailable warrant against Congress MP Imran Masood. This is the fourth time the court has taken this strict action due to Imran Masood's absence. The case dates back to 2007 when Imran Masood was the chairman of the Saharanpur Municipal Council. He is accused of illegally withdrawing approximately ₹40 lakh from the municipal corporation's account in violation of rules. His associate, Zulfiqar Ali, has already surrendered in court in connection with this case.
2007 Case, Allegation of Embezzling ₹40 Lakh
Imran Masood and his associate, Zulfiqar Ali, are accused of jointly withdrawing approximately ₹40 lakh against the rules while running the Saharanpur Municipal Council in 2007. In this regard, the then officer of the Municipal Council, Yashwant Singh, filed an FIR against both of them on November 6, 2007. The case was registered in Saharanpur district.
Charge Sheet in Court and ED Investigation
After the FIR, the police completed their investigation and filed a charge sheet in court. Later, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also added a money laundering angle to the case and independently registered a case against Imran Masood and Zulfiqar Ali.
Associate Zulfiqar Surrendered in Court
During the hearing on Friday, Imran Masood did not appear in court. However, his associate, Zulfiqar Ali, appeared in court and surrendered. The court ordered him to furnish a personal bond of ₹50,000 and fixed July 25 as the date for the next hearing in the case.
Public Prosecutor Demanded Strict Action
Public Prosecutor KP Singh, appearing on behalf of the ED, demanded strict action against Imran Masood from the court. He stated that the accused is continuously disrespecting the court and not cooperating in the judicial process.
Constable Summoned for Negligence in Serving the Warrant
The court has also summoned the constable who took the court order to Imran Masood's office. The court questioned why Imran Masood was not arrested despite the order being served. The court clarified that it is the police's responsibility to ensure fair execution of the order.
Non-Bailable Warrant Issued for the Fourth Time
This is the fourth time that a non-bailable warrant has been issued against Imran Masood. He had previously failed to appear in court three times, disrupting the judicial process. In such a situation, the court's attitude now seems stricter than before.
