In a new twist, the treasurer of the multi-crore Jauhar Trust, Nikhat Alfaq - sister of Azam Khan - revealed that "her signatures on documents have been forged" and she was unaware about financial activities of the trust, run solely by her brother.
Talking to , Superintendent of Police, Rampur, Ajay Pal Sharma said that during questioning, Nikhat Alfaq revealed that she neither cleared any account or signed on any financial documents relating to the trust, which holds assets worth over several hundred crores.
"Nikhat was questioned on financial transactions relating to purchase of big chunks of land. However she denied signing any document. She also said her signatures have been forged. This new development requires a threadbare probe," said Sharma.
The police said till Saturday evening, four bank accounts of the trust has been traced while efforts are on to trace some more accounts. Sources said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is separately investigating financial transactions of the Jauhar Trust, where money in form of donation has come from several Middle Eastern countries.
The ED initiated an enquiry last month on suspicion that huge overseas transactions in form of donations were part of a money laundering racket. Now, Azam Khan's sister denying any knowledge about such transactions, adds more mystery to the story which has snowballed into a major political controversy in UP.
Meanwhile the police registered four more cases against Azam Khan, taking the total number of criminal cases registered against the SP MP to 76. The police said that Azam Khan is now a wanted criminal as the court has cancelled his bail in 28 cases.
Fearing arrest, Azam Khan now seldom visits his constituency where once he ruled the roost. On the other hand, Khan's wife Tazeen Fatma has accused the UP government of framing her husband in false cases.
Fatma, a Rajya Sabha MP, told mediapersons that Jauhar University was built with an aim to provide modern education to the children of Rampur. However, the government is trying to "demolish a temple of education" on the basis of old political rivalry.
( With inputs from IANS )