Afghan Taliban intelligence authorities have detained Maulvi Jan Mohammad Madani, a close adviser to Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, according to multiple sources.
Sources said Maulvi Madani had previously been part of the Taliban’s negotiation team in Doha and was serving as a member of the Darul Ifta Council in Kandahar at the time of his arrest. Local sources stated that he had long been regarded as one of the closest associates of Hibatullah Akhundzada.
At least three separate sources, including individuals affiliated with the Taliban, confirmed that he was arrested by Taliban intelligence officials in Kandahar four days ago and is currently being held in custody.
According to sources, Maulvi Madani had also been entrusted with resolving certain legal disputes in the past. He is alleged to have accepted a bribe of 800,000 Pakistani rupees in connection with a murder case, which reportedly led to his detention.
Reports further suggest that Maulvi Madani enjoyed privileged access to the Taliban leader and regularly advised him on key matters. He is also said to run a religious seminary in Kandahar where hundreds of students are enrolled.
Maulvi Madani previously served as a member of the Taliban’s political office in Doha and, in 2016, travelled to Islamabad with a three-member delegation ahead of negotiations with the former Afghan government.
Sources added that some members of his family continue to reside in Qatar, while others live in Kandahar.
He originally belongs to the Panjwai district of Kandahar and received his religious education in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
During the Taliban’s first period in power, he oversaw foreign affairs in Kandahar and later served as the Taliban’s chargé d’affaires in Saudi Arabia.
