The Andhra Pradesh State Wakf Board on Saturday temporarily suspended ‘mutawallis’ (caretakers) of three prominent Dargahs in the State.
The ‘mutawalli’ are Faisal Ali Shah of Dargah-e-Yousfain at Nampally, Syed Shah Arif Mohammad Mohammad-al-Hussain Chisti of Aastan-e-Maqdoom Ameen Peer Ilahi at Cuddapah and Tajuddin Baba of Dargah Baba Fakhruddin at Penukonda. They have been suspended pending an enquiry to be conducted by the Board’s Chief Executive Officer. Speaking to media persons here, Minorities Welfare Commissioner and Wakf Board Special Officer SM Iqbal said that the CEO has been asked to submit his enquiry report in the next 10 days. If the charges are proved against the ‘mutawallis’, then the Wakf Board would also initiate crimnal action against them, he said.
Dargah-e-Yousufain ‘mutawalli’ is accused of misappropriation of Dargah funds and non-payment of Wakf fund. Besides his temporary suspension, the Hyderabad District Collector has been asked to stop payment of Rs 50 lakh grant sanctioned by the government for the maintainance of Dargah at Nampally till the completion of enquiry.
Similarly, Mohammad-al-Hussain Chisti is facing charges of not submitting the accounts for the last several years. He paid only Rs 35,000 in the last 14 years to the Wakf Board towards Wakf fund. Further, he did not even Rs 500 of Wakf fund for the last three years.
SM Iqbal said that the Wakf Board has illegally passed a resolution on 22nd January 2011 declaring the Dargah and its assets as Wakf Alal-Aulaad (family trust). He said an enquiry has been ordered into the decision taken by the then Wakf Board. The State Government has also been requested to stop Rs 2 crore which was sanctioned for the construction of a mosque adjacent to Dargah.
It may be mentioned that several prominent personalities including Amitabh Bachchan, AR Rahman, Anil Ambani and Amar Singh pays visit to the Dargah on regular basis. Sources say that the Dargah was declared as Wakf Alal-Aulaad at the instance of former Minorities Welfare Minister SM Ahmadullah, who himself is a disciple of Mohammad-al-Hussain Chisti.
Similarly, Tajuddin Baba is also accused of indulging in several irregularities.
The Special Officer also informed that efforts were being made to restore a major portion of 186 acres of land belonging to Jama Masjid of Chavenpally at Moinabad which has been encroached upon.
He also clarified that the properties of Anwarul Uloom College belong to the Wakf Board. He said that the properties, presently under the possession of Anwarul-uloom Institutions, were registered and notified as Wakf properties through a Gazette 32 (A) issued in 1984. One Abdul Razack has endowed these properties with the Wakf Board. However, he said Anwarul Uloom management has been claiming that they are running the institutions under the Societies Act and they were not Wakf properties.
SM Iqbal informed that several agencies including the GHMC, HMWSSB, QQSUDA, NHAI and others have acquired the Wakf lands and in majority of cases, no compensation was paid. He said serious efforts were being made to either restore the properties or take compensation from those institutions. He also informed that the entire Wakf Board would be computerised soon. (INN)