Minority Commission turns heat on Wakf property encroachers

HYDERABAD: Alleged encroachment and land grabbing of Wakf properties in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has come under the scanner of the Minorities Commission which has found 35-40 alleged cases of irregularities involving property worth Rs 30,000 crore.

Andhra Pradesh State Minorities Commission (APSMC) said it has come across alleged irregularities in management of Wakf properties in the two states to the tune of estimated thousands of crores of rupees at current market value.

APSMC Chairman Abid Rasool Khan said the Commission has over a period of last one year received more than 100 complaints alleging large scale encroachment of Wakf lands with the tacit support of Wakf Board officials or the 'Muthawalis', who are custodian of the property, that they have sold these properties or leased them away flouting rules.

"Prima facie in about 35-40 cases, Wakf officials joined hands with land grabbers and not protected the properties. As per the market value, Rs 30,000 to 40,000 crore worth properties of the Wakf have been eaten away by the encroachers," Khan told PTI here.

"People have been occupying (some of these properties) for more than 20 years, but the Wakf Board has not taken any steps to evict them. We took up inquiries into the complaints. In 35-40 cases, we have found fault with the Muthawalis and the Wakf Board officials in transferring the properties. Even legal advisers have not done their duties properly. We are preparing a report on these complaints," he said.

"Now we are in the process of compiling a detailed report on the irregularities. We are in process of obtaining valuation certificates from registrar offices. Once the report is ready within the next one week, we will be writing to the Centre, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments seeking a CBI probe. Separate reports will be handed over to AP and Telangana respectively," Khan said.