Former Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan may soon face CBI inquiry for allegedly acquiring Waqf Board property worth several hundred crores through trusts run by his family in his home constituency of Rampur.
In the report submitted to Central Waqf Council Chairman and Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the misdeeds of Azam Khan is mentioned in details -- listing out Waqf properties which were leased to Trusts connected with his family for as low as Rs 1.
The report recommends filing an FIR and a CBI inquiry against the leader.
Among many Waqf properties that were acquired by Azam Khan was an orphanage (yateemkhana). Azam Khan got a senior police officer appointed as caretaker of Waqf properties in Rampur and then got it transferred to trusts run by his family on a 30-year lease for Rs 1 per year.
One of the properties has a parking lot in one-acre area and could fetch a rent of upto Rs 50 lakh.
The orphanage (Wqf number 157) was acquired for the purpose of Azam Khan's dream project of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. The building was demolished overnight and inmates were left to spend the night out in the open.
The lease was granted in the name of Maulana Jauhar Education Trust, which has Azam Khan's wife Tanzeem Fatima as its chairman. The report says that the lease violates Waqf Act 1995 and Waqf Lease Rules 2014.
The report has recommended FIR against Azam Khan and his wife under IPC sections 120 B, 211, 467 and 468.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi confirmed that he has received the report and after studying it, has found the case for CBI probe.
"We have received a report about irregularities in Waqf properties in some states, including Uttar Pradesh. There appear to be huge irregularities in Waqf properties in UP and it seems a fit case for CBI inquiry. We are discussing the matter and will son take action. I can assure that no Waqf mafia will be spared," Naqvi said.
The 41-page report has been prepared by Central Waqf Council and mentions Azam Khan's name 61 times.
Earlier, Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad and Congress leader Faisal Lala from Rampur had alleged that Azam, who was in charge of the Minority Affairs ministry in the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav government, had sold property of the Waqf board at cheap rates.
In his complaint, Faisal has said that Azam had unlawfully transferred the ownership of 3.5 acre of Waqf board property at Yusuf Garden to his close friend Shahzeb Khan and his wife.
Faisal further said that the leader then sold the same property after making his son a secret partner and made crores.
Kalbe Jawad has alleged besides overlooking rules in the appointment of the Chairman of the Waqf board, he had acquired a huge portion of board’s land to construct a private school and set up a stable.
