Waqf board chief alleges corruption by former chairmen

Waqf Board chairman Amanatullah Khan on Wednesday alleged a land scam and misuse of funds by  former chairmen of the board during the previous Congress government rule.

Khan, also an AAP MLA, has given a complaint to Anti-Corruption Branch against former Waqf Board chairmen Haroon Yusuf of Congress and Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed.

Khan alleged that Ahmed gave 62 bigah land of the  Waqf Board to a private developer without mentioning the time duration of the lease, giving “free hand” to the developer to seek rent from the tenants.

Pvt developer

Former Delhi Waqf Board chairman Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed entered into an agreement with a private developer in 2006 for the development of 62 bigah land of the
board located in Punjab Khor Village.

“As per the agreement, the developer had to pay Rs 1.10 crore as donation (to the board), and Re 0.25 per sq yards to be charged as monthly rent from the prospective tenants,” said the complaint to the Anti-Corruption Branch.

“The rent deed did not mention the period of tenancy/lease which was a gross violation of the provisions of Waqf Act as well as Contract Act and Transfer of property Act,” the complaint added.

According to section 56 of Waqf Act, “The lease or sub lease of any period extending three years of immovable property which is Waqf property shall notwithstanding anything contained in the deed or instrument of Waqf and any other law time being in force, be void and of no effect.”

Personal help

Khan also alleged that Haroon Yusuf despite having left the office of chairman continued to use an employee of the Delhi Waqf Board as his personal servant for eight years, from 2005 to 2013.

“The salary of the employee was paid by the Delhi Waqf Board throughout this time and the salary was even revised under the Central Pay Commission,” the complaint said.

The employee in question is a driver, a permanent employee of the Waqf Board.
“During his appointment, he was given the job of driving a Delhi Waqf Board vehicle from 1999 to 2004 when Haroon Yusuf was the chairman of the board,” it said.

In 2005 Yusuf was Minister of Power, Food and Supplies in state government. The driver was sent on deputation to the ministry to drive Yusuf's car only, said Khan.

When he returned from the ministry Mateen Ahmed the then chairman of the board asked him to continue driving Yusuf car, he alleged. “He drove Yusuf’s car till 2013.”