Syed Ghulam Afzal Biyabani, the former chairman of the AP State Wakf Board (APSWB) is now in the crosshairs of the government with a CB-CID probe being ordered into allegations of corruption against him.
The move, the second counter to a former APSWB official, comes days after the minorities’ welfare department (MWD) sought the AP Vigilance Commission’s nod to file criminal cases against former board chief executive officer Shaik Madar.
The Chief Minister’s office has ordered an inquest against Biyabani, former CEO Mohammed Habeebuddin and office clerk Mohammed Shamsuddin for not sticking on to due procedure while leasing large and small wakf land parcels. The inquiry has been directed into what sources described as “irregular leasing” of properties endowed to four wakf institutions, the rents of which were fixed at throwaway rates and were “detrimental to the interests of wakf”, as said by a highly-placed sources in the MWD.
According to sources, all resolutions pertaining to leases taken by the former board headed by Biyabani from December 16, 2008 to December 15, 2013 would be investigated.
It will be interesting that in April 2012, the government had appointed wakf survey commissioner Mirza Hasan Ali Baig to investigate the matter by means of a GO. They alleged that despite Baig finding Biyabani and the others guilty of corruption, the government fall short to take action and the report did not see the light of day for over 18 months.
The sources said,”After Baig, there was a vigilance and enforcement inquiry that was ordered, which also held them guilty. The CB-CID inquiry would be the third party to investigate the matter,” the sources said. Around 15 acres and 25 acres at two different locations in Devada village in Visakhapatnam were given on lease for mining of gravel at only Rs 20,000 per acre per annum before Biyabani became chairman. Further, the renewal of lease agreement for 10 hectares (25 acres) in the same village at Rs 12,000 per hectare per annum came for extension to Biyabani. “These lease rates are very low and proper procedure was not followed.”
It was only just after the first search was ordered that the lease proceedings were kept in abeyance.
One more 400 square yard parcel at Kattal Mandi was given on lease to Al Mahad Lilbahus Al Islamia Islamic Research Centre, an Islamic organisation, for only Rs 4,000 per month with a non-refundable security deposit of Rs 15,000; pay no attention to an offer five times the lease amount from another party.