Lucknow: Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday questioned chartered accountant Deepak Goyal for several hours in connection with its money laundering probe into Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, linked to jailed Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan, officials said.Goyal’s statement was recorded as investigators examined the trust’s finances and transactions involving Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur. Sources said he is likely to be summoned again as the agency continues to map the flow of funds and verify documents related to receipts, payments and accounting entries.ED is set to begin questioning five more university employees from Tuesday to obtain details of financial procedures, transactions and spending on construction and development works. Officials said the agency is also expected to examine other individuals connected to the trust and entities linked to the institution as part of the ongoing investigation.The latest round of questioning follows searches conducted on Aug 19 at 10 locations associated with the trust and the university in Rampur, Saharanpur and Delhi. The searches were carried out as part of a broader inquiry into suspected financial irregularities and potential proceeds of crime linked to the trust and related organisations. Sources said the university’s vice-chancellor was also questioned by ED last month.Investigators are examining suspected financial links between govt contractors and organisations associated with the university. A central focus is whether funds generated through govt contracts were routed, directly or indirectly, to the trust or the university it operates. Sources said summons were issued last month to several people, and the agency is tracing money movements from contractors who secured govt projects.ED is scrutinising transactions shown as donations, construction and development expenditure and other dealings to assess whether funds were layered, diverted or misused.
