The dubious attitude of Waqf Board officials has once again came to the fore, as two senior lawyers, Shafeeq Rahman Mahajir and Masood Ali Khan, who have worked on the Manikonda Jagir case have requested the board to be relieved of their duties, taking umbrage at the negative attitude of the Waqf Board. While Masood Ali Khan claimed that the board was not taking him into confidence and is keeping him unaware of the several key issues. Mahajir is cheesed off with the negative attitude of the board. Masood Ali Khan has gone to the extent to write to the Waqf Board chairman Ghulam Afzal Biyabani complaining that he was not given some necessary files that he had sought for perusal. The reckless attitude of Waqf Board indicates that the board is not showing the kind of interest that the case clearly demands.
Shafeeq Rahman Mahajir wrote at least five letters to the chairman and the CEO seeking necessary documents related to the case for preparing a counter which were given in installments. Mahajir’s exasperation knew no bounds when the advocate-on-record appointed by the board for the case in Supreme Court reportedly asked him to prepare a para-wise counter and send it to him. It didn’t stop there, the board CEO also asked him to prepare a “draft counter.” Irked Mahajir shot off a letter to the chairman stating that he was neither a “junior” lawyer nor an employee of the board and would not like to be dictated by the advocate-on-record and board officials. Sources said.
When asked about the matter Afzal Biyabani is said to have told that the job of these lawyers was “only to give brief” to the counsels who would be appointed by the board. “It is the board that would decide whom to appoint and how to go about the case,” he quipped.
Observers feel that it would be a grave mistake on the part of the board to sideline Mahajir and Khan since Mahajir had single-handedly won the case in the high court fighting against heavy odds. It would be suicidal not to have Mahajir and Khan in that team of lawyers in the Supreme Court. “Any slight dilution or deviation in the case could result in a loss of huge magnitude and nation-wide implications,” cautioned one of the observers.
Manikonda Jagir case in which the state government, Lanco Hills Private Limited and other corporate entities are pitted against the Wakf Board over Hazrath Hussain Shah Wali Dargah’s Waqf land was scheduled to be heard on August 14. But now the hearing has been shifted to September 17. Manikonda Jagir is valued around Rs 32000 crore and the Waqf Board slackness over such a valuable Waqf property is meaningful. This negative attitude of Waqf board has created disquiet among Muslims.