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W www.thenews.co.in `50 Dear Readers, What we are bringing out is only a tip of the iceberg. A lot needs to be unearthed which re - quires a lot of time and painstaking efforts. The ‘Wakf Special’ contains a few stories which explain the deceitful tactics of the politi - cians - particularly the MIM and Congress lead - ers, corrupt officials of various government departments and the Wakf Board. During the course of collecting information under the Right to In - formation Act, it has been observed that the Wakf Board never both - ered to conduct real time survey of wakf properties based on the original records (Muntakabs), prepared during Nizam and Qutb Shahi regimes. The properties attached to masjids as shown in the current records of the Wakf Board had been prepared based on hearsay and The special issue is compiled by on the instructions of influential people including politicians and offi - MOULLIM MOHSIN BIN HUSSAIN cials resulting in huge loss to the Muslim community. AL KASARY, Journalist, Wakf Protection and Me and my family had to face severe hardships including false RTI Activist criminal cases, harassment by police and rejection by several people while working for the cause. But I believe in the Quranic verse, “Allah The News You Like has full knowledge of your enemies, and Allah is Sufficient as a Wali Phone: 9701141377, 9848133363 (Protector), and Allah is Sufficient as a Helper.” S. 4:45 E-mail: [email protected] Website: thenews.co.in Expressing my gratefulness to the Almighty for giving me the op - portunity to bring out this special issue, let me assure you, I would never stop as long as the blessings of Almighty are with me. Address for correspondance: #3-5-890, Flat No. 106, Paras Chambers, Beside AP I also thank all those people who stood by me through my trou - Tourism Bldg, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad- bled period and the management of The News Publications for allowing 500029. Phone: 98481 33363, 97011 me to publish this ‘Wakf Special’. 41377. email: [email protected] I take sole responsibility for the contents of this special issue. I [email protected] am only responsible for any legal issues arising out of this special issue. I appeal to my brethren to come together and work for the pro - Printed, Published And Owned By tection of wakf properties in the interest of the society. Ramya Sree , Printed At S.M.S. Press, H.No.11-38, Pragathi Nagar, P&T Colony, Saroor Nagar, Dist Ranga Reddy – 60, Published At The News Publications, H.No.334,B , Prajay Sai Gardens, Keesara (MOULLIM MOHSIN BIN HUSSAIN AL KASARY) Mandal, Dist - Ranga Reddy, A.P Journalist, Wakf Protection and RTI Activist

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 1 Index

The journalists who dared Mosque sacri

2| WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Zahid Ali Khan Syed Vicaruddin Khan Lateef Mohd Khan The journalists who dared to create awareness Muslim masses across the globe in contributed scores of reports un - general and Hyderabad city in par - covering the irregularities and ticular were kept in dark about the scams related to wakf properties. existence of wakf properties for There was a period when long. Leaders of two political parties scamsters and land grabbers with – Congress and All India Majlis-e- Siasat editor Zahid Ali Khan, their clout in law enforcement agen - Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) – reporter Ather Moin injured in cies made covert attempts to brand MIM attack made big money out of the proper - Ather Moin as an agent of terror ties by treating the wakf properties In this backdrop, editors of outfits and threatened with getting as their own. three Urdu newspapers took the re - him eliminated in an encounter. The general Muslim popula - sponsibility on their shoulders of However, the Siasat manage - tion has constantly been misled by creating awareness among the Mus - ment stood by Ather Moin and ex - the selfish and corrupt politicians lim masses and unearth the irregu - tended its support to the reporter, through provocative speeches and larities taking place in connection thereby reiterating the newspaper’s drove the anger towards right wing with the wakf properties. commitment to the cause of wakf forces. Little did they do to eradicate Siasat Editor Zahid Ali Khan, properties. illiteracy and create awareness Rahnuma-e-Deccan Chief Editor The commitment to the cause among the Muslim masses on the Syed Vicaruddin and Musif Editor- of wakf properties invited the wrath need for education. in-Chief Khan Lateef Mohammed of corrupt politicians who orches - Also, they never disclosed in Khan played very important role in trated a deadly attack on Siasat edi - black and white the existence of bringing out scandals related to tor Zahid Ali Khan and reporters thousands of acres of wakf lands wakf properties and the irregulari - Ather Moin and Mubasshir Ahmed. and valuable properties. These lead - ties going on in the Wakf Board. Fortunately, they survived the at - ers had the opportunity to take These three editors encour - tack with injuries. Prior to this at - steps for the generation of reason - aged their reporters who worked tack, corrupt politicians and land able revenue out of the wakf prop - hard and generated stories on any sharks through their henchmen at - erties and utilized the same for the kind of irregularities related to wakf tacked Zahid Ali Khan with filth welfare of the poor Muslims. In - properties. Khaja Atheruddin aka collected from sewer. stead, these leaders were always in - Ather Moin and Mubasshir of Despite these developments, terested in usurping the wakf Siasat, senior journalists the three newspapers continue to properties and become rich Basheeruddin of Munsif and play key role for the protection of overnight. Abubakar of Rahnuma-e-Deccan wakf properties.

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 3 Masjid - E - Sultanbagh under encroachment. (Inset: Abdul Wahed Owaisi) Masjid-E-Sultanbagh, Victim of late Abdul Wahed Owaisi’s collusive carelessness 4| WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Lower Tank Bund and intention - the Wakf Board. However, follow - ally lost the legal battle against the ing their death, their widows and land grabbers. minor children of both the fami - This case relates to the Wakf lies executed a sale deed in favour properties attached to Masjid-e- of DS Lakshmi, wife of Col. D San - Sultan Bagh. Today, reputed star jeeva Rao and C Mohan Kumari, hotel, Marriot, is run on the Wakf wife of C Satyanarayana on August land, which was acquired by en - 3, 1964 claiming that it was ances - croachers and land grabbers. tral property. Abdul Wahed Owaisi, the The Wakf Board officials ap - then chief of MIM and a learned pear to have been slack in prevent - advocate, was supposed to file a ing the illegal sale transaction suit for perpetual injunction in the despite having documentary High Court since in the year 1965 proofs such as Muntakhab (copy of the lower court had no jurisdiction endowment register) dated 22-2- to deal with a case involving prop - 1350 Fasli and 21-7-1355 Fasli. There erty valued at Rs 1.5 lakh. Despite were several other documents to knowing very well about this, the show that the 4 acre land belonged then MIM chief seems to have to Wakf Board. filed the suit in the First Addi - Yet, the land grabbers man - tional Chief Judge Court, whose aged to sell the property while the pecuniary jurisdiction extends buyers knowing very well about only up to Rs 5,000. the facts, purchased the property. Old timers say the then MIM A bottling unit was run on the land chief deliberately filed the case in before it was converted into a lux - a lower court and made a deal with ury hotel, owned by one P Prab - the land grabbers at the cost of hakara Reddy. Almighty’s properties. It is because The House Committee on of this reason he did not even Wakf Properties summoned Prab - bother to file an appeal before the hakara Reddy to record his ver - High Court. Of course, some sion. On October24, 1995, the members of the Wakf Board were managing director of Palace also involved in the shady deal, Heights Hotels Limited, Prab - they allege. hakara Reddy gave in writing to The four acre land is currently the House Committed that the worth crores of rupees. What is property was purchased through sickening is that several graves on registered sale deed and a bottling the Wakf land had been raged to unit was run for about 30 years be - develop the star hotel. The more fore converting it into a hotel. Nec - disturbing fact is that the entire essary permissions were obtained t appears the collusion be - file related to this Wakf Institution from the authorities concerned tween All India Majlis Itte - mysteriously disappeared from the and nobody disturbed with the hadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Wakf Board when the present peaceful enjoyment of the prop - Ileaders and the grabbers of Wakf chief of MIM, Asaduddin Owaisi, erty ever until summoned by the lands did not begin with the cur - was a member of the Board. House Committee. rent chiefs of the party. In fact, the Documents available with He also informed the House then chief of AIMIM Abdul The News clearly show that Gulam Committee that the claim of the Wahed Owaisi seems to have col - Dastagir and Hafeezuddin were Wakf Board was baseless and luded with the land grabbers and taking care of the properties of sought to drop the proceedings. encroachers of Wakf properties at Sultan Bagh mosque on behalf of The House committee also

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 5 Marriott Hotel stands on the land belonging to Masjid - E - Sultanbagh under encroachment. (Inset: Abdul Wahed Owaisi) spoke to various people in this Unfortunately, the House successive MIM chiefs – Sultan connection and arrived at a con - Committee, in which Asaduddin Salahuddin Owaisi and Asaduddin clusion that Gulam Dastagir was a Owaisi is a member, also said in its Owaisi - over the issue. land grabber, while Col. D San - report that, “If such a course of ac - Salahuddin and Asaduddin jeeva Rao and K Balraj, who pur - tion cannot be effectively taken, could have filed a case against the chased the land, were encroachers. the Wakf Board may file a suit for land grabbers under section 3(k) “Not knowing the fact that compensation from the encroach - of The Wakf Act, 1995, which says the Wakf Institutions and the ers as per the present market any person interested in Wakf can properties are registered Wakf In - value.” file a case. stitutions of 1350 Fasli (1940) is not The members of the House According to the Act, person an acceptable version. Therefore, Committee, particularly Asadud - interested in wakf means any per - the registered sale deeds between din Owaisi, who is Barrister at Law son who is entitled to receive any Gulam Dastagir and Col. Sanjeeva and Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, knew pecuniary or other benefits from Rao and others will not be valid very well that a Wakf property can - the wakf and includes any person and deserved to be cancelled,” the not be alienated at any cost and who has a right to worship or to House Committee said in its re - there is a direction from the perform any religious rite in a port. Supreme Court which says ‘once a mosque, idgah, imambara, dar - The Committee recom - Wakf is always a Wakf’. gah, khangah, maqbara, graveyard mended the Wakf Board to take Yet, the House Committee, or any other religious institution expeditious steps to file cases in apparently under the influence of connected with the wakf or to par - the concerned courts against the Asaduddin Owaisi, recommended ticipate in any religious or charita - persons who are occupying the the Wakf Board to file a suit for ble institution under the wakf. Wakf Properties of these Wakf In - compensation in an attempt to Yet, the MIM leaders chose to stitutions and see that the entire cover up the misdeed of the then remain silent which shows their property is taken back under its MIM chief Abdul Wahed Owaisi dishonesty towards their much control. and also the subsequent silence of hyped ideals.

6| WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Malakpet MLAs brother grabs wakf land near Charminar f you are the brother of a legis - Wakf protection activists approach high court lator, you can do anything. At least that is the general percep - Another brother of the MLA runs tIion and that is what has been done by Malakpet MLA Ahmed illegal news channel Bin Abdullah Balala’s brother Shah Faisal Bin Abdullah Balala. dertaken some construction in the Taking advantage of his premises without obtaining con - brother’s position and his own po - struction permission from the sition as MIM leader, it appears Greater Hyderabad Municipal Shah Faisal had tried to grab wakf Corporation. property in the prime area of Old In the circumstances, there city, located in front of Khilwat shall be an interim direction to the Palace near Charminar. 1st respondent (GHMC) to con - Land grabbing by Malakpet sider the representation, dated 19- MLA’s brother came to light when 10-2012, submitted by the he began construction work on a petitioners and take appropriate 500 square yards site at the prem - action according to law.” ises bearing municipal number 20- Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala It can be construed from the 4-231 in Motigalli. However, wakf high court order and the docu - protection activists - Deccan Wakf Having no other option, the ments submitted by the wakf pro - Properties Protection Society pres - wakf protection activists ap - tection activists that Shah Faisal, ident Osman Bin Mohamed Al proached the High Court saying with the support of his legislator Hajri, M A Basith and Mohammed the property was actually a wakf brother, had tried to grab the wakf Inayath – lodged complaints with property known as Maqbera property. the wakf board, GHMC and police Nawab Kawanja Bahadur and the It is pertinent to mention here officials, but no action was taken object of wakf is for prayers. that another brother of Ahmed by the officials. The petitioners submitted Balala has been running an illegal Subsequently, the wakf pro - several documents including the cable TV channel. Owned by the tection activists approached the AP Gazette dated June 9, 1983 Malakpet MLA’s brothers – Jaffer Wakf Tribunal seeking eviction of showing the suit schedule prop - Bin Abdullah Balala, Mohsin Bin the land grabber and recovery of erty was actually wakf property. Abdullah Balala and others – the possession of the wakf property. Based on the documents, the high local TV channel named 4TV is The Wakf Tribunal gave its order court granted the following order. being run on a local cable operator in favour of the wakf protection ac - “The material filed before this license obtained from the postal tivists following which Shah Faisal court, prima-facie, shows that department, whereas one needs to tried to play master stroke. He got property bearing municipal obtain license from the Informa - cancelled the registered sale deed No.20-4-231 situated at Motigalli, tion & Broadcasting Ministry to through which he purported to Hyderabad, is Wakf property noti - run a news channel. have purchased the property. But fied in the Andhra Pradesh This particular news channel he continued his legal fight seek - Gazette, dated 09-06-1983, and is known for televising hate ing ownership rights over the that the 3rd respondent (Shah speeches and in fact functions as property. Faisal Bin Abdullah Balala) has un - the official TV channel of MIM.

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 7 Land sharks grab property attached to Mecca Mosque

Owaisi family, MIM leaders, Wakf Board facilitate land sharks Activists booked for opposing land grabbing

8| WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Unfortunately, the property records related historical royal mosque has been ‘misplaced’ at the instance of corrupt politicians and officials concerned. However, documents eginning with late Sultan showing 25 acres given to Jharubkash Salahuddin Owaisi aka (Sweeper) for keeping Mecca Mosque clean Salar to his kids Asaduddin have been secured by this author BOwaisi, Akbaruddin Owaisi and other MIM leaders including for - mer MLA of Karwan Mohammed related historical royal mosque sponsibilities such as Qatib (who Muqtada Khan aka Afsar Khan has been ‘misplaced’ at the in - gives discourse on Friday), Pesh and Mehraj Hussain Jaffer, cur - stance of corrupt politicians and Imam (who administers prayers rently contesting from Nampally officials concerned. However, every day), Moazzan (who gives Assembly Constituency – all of documents showing 25 acres azaan calling devotees for them not just remained mute given to Jharubkash (Sweeper) prayers), Qazi (who performs spectators but helped land sharks for keeping Mecca Mosque clean marriages) and other helpers like grab Wakf property attached to have been secured by this author. sweepers, those who take care of historical Mecca Mosque. It is pertinent to mention lighting and filling water etc., Unfortunately, the property here that in the olden days, peo - were not paid salaries. Instead, records ple entrusted with various re - they were given huge extents of agricultural land out of which

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 9 they used to eke livelihood and ex - tended their services to the mosque to which they have been assigned. Thus, such lands are called ‘service inam’ and the land is given from time to time to those who actually extended the as - signed service to the mosque. However, as the times changes, corrupt politicians, scholars and officials colluded with each other and destroyed the original records showing the properties attached to mosques and prepared fake records and documents. Either they lured or deceived people extending service MIM leaders Afsar Khan, Mehraj Hussain Jaffer and others supervising to the mosques and got issued razing of Muslim graveyard to help land sharks at Shaikpet pattas in the name of people ex - tending services to the mosques Likewise, according to destroyed or kept under wraps ex - thereby paving way for land grab - sources, there were thousands of cept for the 25 acres land meant bing. Subsequently, the land acres of agricultural land attached for sweeper, located in survey sharks sold away the Wakf proper - to Mecca Mosque since it was pa - numbers 75 & 76 in Shaikpet vil - ties and amassed huge wealth at tronized by Qutbshahi royals. lage. the cost of poor muslims. However, records had either been But the 25 acres land now

Qutb Shahi Mosque encroached by International School run by Kakarla Subbarao

10 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Mecca Mosque (file photo) worth thousands of crores had tion of centuries old Muslim closed on all four sides, while part been grabbed by land sharks with Graveyard to provide road for the of the graveyard was razed to the active support of MIM leaders land sharks. make way for a garden. The re - and the same has been sold away On the other hand, late Salar, maining part of graveyard was al - to real estate developers. The de - who was aware of the encroach - ready razed with the support of velopers are now constructing lux - ments in Shaikpet by land sharks MIM leaders to provide road for urious flats on the wakf land and way back in 1992, wrote a letter to Wakf land grabbers. selling each flat at around Rs 2 the Special Officer of the Wakf Further, a NGO named Social crore. Board on August 27, 1992 in con - Reformer Organisation addressed What is more shocking is that nection with the safety of Qutb a letter to Asaduddin Owaisi, the MIM leaders – Afsar Khan, Mehraj Shahi Mosque and graveyard in - then MLA, Syed Sajjad, ex-MLA, Hussain Jaffer (currently contest - side the premises of an interna - MIM and president of Andhra ing from Nampally Assembly Con - tional school, promoted by Pradesh State Wakf Board Em - stituency) and MLC and former renowned doctor Kakarla Subba ployees Welfare Association, pres - Wakf Board Member Syed Altaf Rao. ident of Students Islamic Hyder Razvi and others physically Subsequently, for the reasons Organisation, president of Tamir- sat on the Wakf land along with best known to late Salar, no fol - e-Millat, Madina Mansion, police and GHMC officials and low-up was done on the issue fol - Narayanaguda, Hyderabad, presi - personally supervised the demoli - lowing which the mosque was dent of DJS, Chanchalguda, dis -

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 11 Late Sulta Salahuddin Owaisi’s Qutb Shahi Mosque encroached one and only letter to Wakf by International School run by Board special officer Kakarla Subbarao

, Shaikpet ter to MRO DMWO let

12 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Entrance to International School run by Kakarla Subbarao where Qutb Shahi Mosque has been encroached trict collector of Ranga Reddy dis - the open land, mosque and grave - for obvious reasons. trict, chief secretary, secretary of yard at Shaikpet attached to In another shocking develop - minorities welfare department Mecca Mosque. However, the ment, the then cabinet minister and the then chairman of wakf GHMC officials in their reply Mohammed Ali Shabbir expressed board urging them to take neces - stated clearly that it was the re - his willingness to give some of the sary action to protect Mecca sponsibility of Wakf Board to pro - land on a long term lease to Mah - Mosque land at Shaikpet. tect the property. eswari Mega Ventures Limited, However, except for the secre - Subsequently, the Wakf though Wakf Act clearly states tary of minorities welfare depart - Board constituted a managing that wakf properties cannot be ment, all others maintained committee to manage the grave - given on long term lease to any - mysterious silence. Only the then yard and open land at Shaikpet at - one. secretary to government, minori - tached to Mecca Mosque in the However, in a shocking move ties welfare department, Mo - year 2006. The Board lodged two the Board passed a resolution (No. hammed Shafiquzzaman gave as separate FIRs (Cr.No.811/2009 and 643 of 2010 dt. 19-10-2010) and many as 11 memos including DO Cr.No. 905 of 2010) against GHMC handed over the land (open land Letter to Wakf Board between officials on charges of trespassing and graveyard) to GHMC for road February 1996 to December 1997 into Wakf property, demolition of widening without asking for com - asking the latter No. 747/W- graves and hurting the religious pensation. Interestingly, nobody II/A3/96-13, dt 25-10-1997 to initi - feelings. including Wakf Board is permit - ate action against land grabbers. The managing committee ted according to Wakf Act to After prolonged correspon - was fighting a case against Aparna alienate Wakf property or allow dence between the minorities wel - Constructions before the Wakf anybody to demolish mosques fare department, Wakf Board, Tribunal. Even as the case was and graveyards at any cost. revenue and GHMC, the Board pending, the Wakf Board dis - In this case, the resolution asked GHMC officials to protect banded the managing committee was passed against the interests of

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 13 Petrol pump, real estate developers sitting on Wakf lands at Shaikpet not only Wakf Board but against fer, MLC and former Wakf Board The biggest irony in this the interests of common muslims member Altaf Haider Razvi and episode is registering a criminal even as the self styled champions senior officials of GHMC and po - case against Deccan Wakf Proper - of Hyderabadi muslims - Owaisi lice department physically super - ties Protection Cell president brothers, Mohammed Ali Shabbir vised the razing of graveyards to Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri and Ahmedullah chose not to op - provide road for real estate devel - and 100 others including women pose the decision. opers who had encroached Wakf for opposing the demolition of Going a step ahead and with property attached to Mecca graveyard and razing hundreds of the blessings of Owaisi brothers, Mosque with the help of MIM and graves. MIM leaders Afsar Khan, the then Congress leaders and corrupt offi - The police, allegedly at the deputy mayor Mehraj Hussain Jaf - cials. behest of MIM leaders, chased and harassed Osman Bin Mo - hammed and his associates fol - lowing the protest. The harassment ended only after judi - ciary intervened and granted a stay. Now, a concrete jungle can be seen on the Wakf land attached to Mecca Mosque and several real es - tate companies are constructing high rise buildings at a brisk pace. It is time officials concerned and the common people come to - gether for the protection of wakf GHMC officials supervising razing of Muslim properties. graveyard to help land sharks at Shaikpet

14 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Masjid-e-Omar Farooq awaits reconstruction MIM leaders keep silent Muslim leaders in Congress reluctant Common Muslims question honesty of their leaders

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 15 he then Congress govern - ment headed by Y S Ra - jasekhara Reddy in cTonsultation with MIM leaders and so-called Islamic scholars ordered demolition of a mosque and razed the graveyard at Shamshabad to fa - cilitate GMR Group start the inter - national airport works. Masjid-e-Omar Farooq was constructed in Galwaguda village in Shamshabad. Along with the mosque, a muslim graveyard and an Eidgah were also there over a piece of 1.5 acre land. However, the structures were razed on the orders of the government, which handed over 5,400 acres of land to GMR Group for the purpose of develop - ing the airport. The airport land in - cludes 1,060 acres of wakf land attached to Dargah Hazrath Baba Sharfuddin. When Muslim community launched agitation protesting against the razing of mosque and graveyard, the then Minister for Minorities Welfare, Mohammed Ali Shabbir made a promise in the Assembly on March 12, 2008 on be - half of the state government that government at the centre and did the self styled champions of Islam, the mosque would be recon - not raise voice when Babri Masjid have been keeping themselves structed within the airport prem - was demolished in the year 1992. aloof from the issue. Instead of ises. Subsequently, neither Salar nor his fighting for the cause with the gov - All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul sons – Asaduddin and Akbaruddin ernment and officials, it is alleged Muslimeen (AIMIM) leaders – opposed the demolition of that the MIM leaders instigate in - claimed credit for the government’s Masjid-e-Omar-Farooq at nocent public through provocative announcement. However, after the Shamshabad because they entered speeches. completion of airport, the state into a secret pact with Rajasekhara Concerned Muslims allege government and the MIM leaders Reddy, they said. that the MIM leaders constantly conveniently forgot the issue. Local Muslims strongly desire keep the Muslim electorate in dark Concerned Muslims allege the demolished mosque should be through misleading speeches in that it has been the tradition for reconstructed on the airport land which they blame leaders of other MIM to strike secret deals with since the GMR Group has taken political parties and outfits. The Congress whenever the latter re - 1,060 acres of wakf land for the air - MIM leaders have never been hon - sorted to anti-Muslim activities. port. Tension grips the airport area est to the cause of poor muslims, They allege that the present MIM whenever the local Muslims try to they said. chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s father offer Friday prayers outside the air - It is time the people realize the late Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi aka port. true colours of the selfish leaders Salar struck a deal with Congress However, the MIM leaders, and teach them a befitting lesson.

16 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Marked image shows the space where Qutb Shahi Mosque was demolished for real estate project MOSQUE SACRIFICED FOR MONEY? Nefarious deals between Corrupt Politicians, officials and the accused So-called gentlemen too enter into secret deals at the cost of Qutb Shahi Mosque

here have been instances any interest as the people involved ‘Mega Dream City at Balapur, RCI. where communal clashes in the demolition were very close They planned to grab the wakf erupted when non-Muslims to MIM. The accused were real es - lands by removing the mosque. Tplayed drums in front of a mosque. tate developers and rich enough to Accordingly, they first began Imagine what happens if a mosque silence corrupt politicians and offi - cleaning the open lands bit by bit is demolished. cials. and one fine day on January 17, Don’t shudder. After some This is the case of Masjid-e- 2012 demolished the 400 years old protests by common Muslims, Qutb Shahi, located in survey mosque with the help of heavy politicians and corrupt officials en - numbers 97, 98 and 99 of Balapur machinery. Devout Muslims, wakf tered into a compromise with village in Ranga Reddy district. protection activists and MBT lead - those who demolished a Qutb The vast extent of land surround - ers staged agitations demanding Shahi Mosque in the old city of ing the mosque was attached to severe punishment for the people Hyderabad. wakf institution. responsible for the demolition of It happened because the All Trouble began when real es - the mosque. India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Mus - tate developers – Dream India Initially, it appeared police limeen (AIMIM) did not evince Group – launched its new project danced to the tunes of the real es -

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 17 tate developers and their god fa - thers. The police officials tried to t is apt to recall here that create fear among the protestors Moulana Abul Kalam Azad by shooting the images of the pro - tIhorugh his weekly ‘Al-Hilal’ had testors. But police had to relent in appealed to the conscience of the view of the growing protests. Muslims by extending invitation The wakf board was forced to to declare that “All the Muslims act and lodge a complaint against should declare their determina - the land grabbers. Police regis - tion that it is possible to cut the tered a case against Saleem, Sano - loafs of flesh from their bodies bar Baig and others, based on the but the building of the Mosque, complaint given by the wakf board its boundary, or even an inch of its officials. piece cannot be removed or dis - The then Minister for Minori - mantled” (Al-Hilal dated: 11-06- ties Welfare, Syed Mohammed 1912). Ahmedullah, who visited the site following protests, told the devout Muslims that he had asked the po - Following persons were holding office in Wakf Board lice commissioner to keep the ac - when Qutb Shahi mosque in Balapur was demolished and cused behind bars until the reconstruction of the mosque. subsequently a secret deal was made with the accused. However, the accused came Syed Shah Afzal Biabani - Chairman out of the jail within few days and Syed Shah Akbar Nizamuddin - Member pulled the strings through their god fathers in such a way that the Syed Zaheer Ali Soofi - Member Wakf Board surrendered to the de - M A Jabbar - Member molishers and arrived at a compro - Z H Javeed - Member mise. The Wakf Board facilitated Iliyas Seth - Member the accused in getting an order from the high court quashing the FIR lodged against them, while the structing the mosque as part of the cused neither converted the land police officials looked the other venture and the wakf board, politi - from agriculture to non-agricul - way. The court quashed the FIR cians, police, revenue, registration ture purpose, nor did they pay any based on a memo issued by the and income tax officials are keep - fee, thereby causing huge revenue then CEO of Wakf Board M A Gaf - ing mysterious silence. loss to the exchequer. far to Inspector Auditor of Ranga Even if it is assumed that the Complaints were given to rev - Reddy, Shabbar Basha, who had land is not wakf property and enue, police and registration de - lodged the complaint on the rep - owned by the accused, it is manda - partments in this connection. But, resentation of Osman Bin Mo - tory for them to convert the land none of the departments bothered hammed Al Hajri. use from agriculture to non-agri - to initiate action for the simple Subsequently, the accused de - culture purposes. And for this, the reason that the accused enjoy the veloped a huge real estate venture land owners must pay nine percent support of their god fathers. named Mega Dream City. The of the market value. It is time the officials of rev - brochures show the mosque in the In this case, the accused were enue, registration and income tax middle of the gated community, supposed to pay little over Rs 2 departments take action against which in itself is self explanatory crore towards conversion fee. The the accused, while politicians need that the venture has been devel - moment the land is converted into to protect the interests of common oped on encroached land. commercial, its value goes up and people. Also, the buyers should re - In fact, the real estate devel - buyers will have to pay stamp duty think on their plans to invest in opers are boasting about con - on square yard basis. But the ac - Dream India projects.

18 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 MASJID COMMITTEE HEADED BY AFSAR KHAN ot only did the MIM leader Muqtada Khan aka Afsar Khan grabbed wakf HELPS LAND GRABBERS pNroperty worth hundreds of crores located at Mehdipatnam, but he Foists cases against wakf protection activists did not bother to revive Masjid-e- Qutb Shahi, located adjacent to Osman Al Hajri family victimised Karodgiri Naka in Karwan though he became the president of this masjid committee in the year 2004. It is alleged that he became the president of this masjid com - mittee with an intention to facili - tate his associates grab the valuable open land of about six acres attached to the masjid and another 29 acres of land belonging to Toli Mosque. Both the lands are located next to each other. As the masjid committee headed Afsar Khan did not revive the mosque despite repeated re - quests from concerned muslims, a team headed by Siasat Editor Zahed Ali Khan, Deccan Wakf Properties Protection Cell presi - dent Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri, his relative Maqbool Bin Ab - dullah Al Hajri, Munna Al Hajri and others cleaned the mosque and conducted prayers bringing it into use. Maqbool also filed a case in the Wakf Tribunal (OS No. 97/2006), seeking an appropriate direction to the Wakf Board and the masjid committee, for the pro - tection of the lands attached to the masjid, worth crores of rupees. The Hajri family, which was associated with MIM until 2004, quit the party after coming to know about the MIM leaders’ in - volvement in the grabbing and en - Osman Al Hajri being taken away by the police

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 19 Zahid Ali Khan, Osman Al Hajri and others seen after liberating Qutb Shahi Mosque at Karodgiri naka, Karwan croachment of wakf properties. couple of his supporters were cited Zahid Ali Khan, Osman Al Hajri They started campaigning against as witnesses. and others cleaning the Mosque the land grabbers which irked the Under pressure from the MIM MIM leaders in general and Afsar top brass, the police registered a Khan in particular. The MIM lead - criminal case against the Hajri ers were waiting for an opportu - family and the same was disposed nity to cause trouble for Hajri by the court in December 2013 family. after a prolonged legal battle for a The opportunity arose on period of seven years. April 21, 2007 during the ‘Praja The court of special magis - finding place in his report given Patham’ programme organized at trate in Khairatabad while dispos - under Exhibit P-1 (Police com - Mahboob Colony. Being residents ing a criminal case (CC No.1 of plaint). Similarly, he has not stated of the same area, the Hajri family 2013) observed that, “The sole evi - alleged criminal overt acts of any too attended the programme and dence of PW-2 Mohammed Muq - of the accused in his compliant. In sought redressal of grievances in tada Khan aka Afsar Khan is not at cross examination he admitted the colony. all trustworthy and not free from above said omission which tanta - Taking this as an advantage, the suspicion because his oral evi - mount to contradictions. There - the MIM MLA concocted a story dence deposed before court on fore no prudent man would like to saying the Hajri family disrupted oath is not getting collaboration bank upon evidence of PW-2 Mo - the programme and prevented the on material aspects from other in - hammed Muqtada Khan @ Afsar officials from discharging their du - dependent eye witnesses exam - Khan.” ties. Instead of the local official, ined.” This judgment and the past who is in incharge of the pro - The court also observed that, history of this MIM leader should gramme, the MIM MLA lodged a “He deposed before court several be an eye opener for the citizens of complaint with the police while a exaggerated facts which are not Hyderabad.

20 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Mohsin Syed Farees Ahmed

Osman Al Hajri Mohd Khairul Hasan RTI activists are anti-social elements: AP Wakf Board Board passes resolution barring entry of activists Employees prohibited from speaking to RTI activists

here are innumerable scan - Mohsin Bin Hussain Al Kasary, 2005, the four activists began seek - dals inside the Wakf Board. Mohammed Khairul Hassan, Syed ing every piece of information that Scores of files and docu - Farees Ahmed and Osman Bin Mo - could be of any help in protecting Tments related to highly important hammed Al Hajri – had been fight - wakf properties. and valuable wakf properties had ing for the protection of Wakf But the wakf board, its em - either been misplaced or tampered properties in the face of threat and ployees and their politician god fa - in collusion with corrupt politi - harassment. thers began feeling the heat and cians and land sharks. So, they hate Though they began their fight foresaw the threat to their any activism that exposes them to way back in 2003, it gained mo - prospects of looting almighty’s public. mentum after the Right to Infor - property. All the thugs came to - But four persons - Moullim mation Act came into force. Since gether and devised a strategy to

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 21 stop the wakf protection activists from carrying out their fight. Adopting the political methodology to approach a given situation, the wakf board employ - ees and their hidden god fathers tried to persuade the activists, lured with financial and material offers and then tried to create dif - ferences among the activists. When all the three failed, they took to the path of violence. With all the selfish people joining hands, the Wakf Board passed an unprecedented resolu - tion (No. 145) on March 11, 2010 in Those present in the special board meeting dated the special board meeting held at March 11, 2010 that passed unanimous resolution the office of the wakf board. The against wakf protection and RTI activists unanimous resolution authorized Iliyas Seth – The Then Wakf Board chairman the CEO to write letter to the com - Syed Shah Akbar Nizamuddin – Member missioner of Hyderabad police Syed Zaheer Ali Soofi - Member seeking police outpost at Haj M A Jabbar – Member House to stop entry of what they called unsocial elements into the Syed Shah Afzal Biabani – Member Haj House premises in general and B S Farooq Ahmed – CEO wakf board office in particular. The meeting also resolved from Mohsin Bin Hussain in one institution under the wakf. that the CEO is can take severe ad - single day and the same has been Yet, the special meeting of the ministrative action against those mentioned in the agenda of the wakf board unanimously deliber - employees entertaining or sup - special board meeting. It appears ated and decided that the four per - porting what they called as out - the board or its employees are not sons are not at all connected with siders and irrelevant persons and well versed either with RTI Act or wakf properties and foisted cases unsocial elements. with the Wakf Act. According to against them with the only inten - Interestingly, the agenda of RTI Act, an applicant can file any tion to prevent them from fighting the special board meeting pre-de - number of applications seeking in - against the irregularities, en - cided who the unsocial elements formation, while the Wakf Act says croachments and alienation of were. The agenda named Mohsin any person interested can seek in - wakf properties. The wakf board Bin Hussain Al Kasary, M K Hasan, formation about wakf properties. employees in collusion with cor - Syed Farees Ahmed and Osman According to the Act, “person rupt police officials tried to open Bin Mohammed Al Hajri. interested in a wakf" means any history sheets against the activists The agenda of the special person who is entitled to receive by foisting series of cases. board meeting says, “This group is any pecuniary or other benefits However, the courts noticed used to file multiple and number of from the wakf and includes any the illegal and autocratic behavior representations under RTI Act in person who has a right to worship of the wakf board and the police respect of various wakf properties, or to perform any religious rite in a officials and absolved the activists whereas they are not at all con - mosque, idgah, imambara, dargah, of all charges. It is time more and cerned with such properties.” khangah, maqbara, graveyard or more RTI activists start working to - The wakf board employees any other religious institution con - wards the protection of wakf prop - were bewildered when they re - nected with the wakf or to partici - erties to ensure the welfare of poor ceived as many as 50 appeals single pate in any religious or charitable muslims.

22 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Fence eats the crop, Masjid properties vanish Masjid managing committee role suspected Charminar MLA becomes president of managing committee Mosque located in Karwan Assembly Constituency

ou might have often heard the famous saying ‘fence eat - ing the crop’. But you might Ybe wondering how fence could eat the crop. You will understand after reading the following story involv - ing a legislator and close relative of a powerful political party in Hyder - abad. The legislator, Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri of All India Majlis-e- Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), representing Chariminar Assembly Constituency was made president, while MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s cousin brother Yasar Arafat was made executive mem - Masjid-e-Kulsum Bibi (Masjid-e-Kalan) at Karwa ber of the managing committee of (Inset: MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri the Jamia-e-Masjid Kalan, situated at Kulsumpura in Karwan Assem - ince MIM MLA was appointed as the president of man - bly Constituency of Hyderabad. aging committee, the wakf board did not even seek a Before the MIM leaders be - S report from the Inspector Auditor, which is mandatory for came office bearers of the manag - ing committee, over 765 acres of taking any decision in connection with wakf properties. agricultural land in Kulsumpura The term of the managing committee appointed in and two other villages – Chityal 2011 was to expire in July 2013. However, changes were and Kokonda were attached to the made in the managing committee even before the com - masjid. Besides, several commer - pletion of the term of the previous managing committee, cial shops and residential buildings i.e. in October 2012, allegedly following allegations of were also attached to the masjid. land grabbing and gross irregularities. All these properties were notified It is alleged that this exercise was carried out mainly as wakf properties attached to the masjid in the official gazette pub - to remove Yasar Arafat, close relative of Owaisi brothers lished in 1985. (AP Gazzette No. 12- in view of the allegations of land grabbing and irregular - A, dated March 21, 1985 under the ities.

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 23 Towliath of AP State Wakf Board) THE MANAGING COMMITTEE The masjid had vast attached properties since it was built by INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah’s daughter Kulsum Bibi aka Azeezunnisa Begum. Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, MLA President All the attached properties were en - dowed by Kulsum Bibi. Ahmedullah Shah Quadri Chisti Vice-president Soon after the MIM leaders be - Mohammed Badruddin Ahmed Sub - came office bearers of the masjid man - Secretary hani Shamshi Chisti and Quadri aging committee, the attached properties started vanishing at a quick Mohammed Arshad Khan Joint Secretary pace. It is alleged that the managing committee actively colluded with land Mohammed Habib Quadri Treasurer sharks and allowed the latter to grab the lands. YASAR ARAFAT Executive Member The managing committee had to take up survey of the properties at - Kamran Khan Executive Member tached to the masjid following a com - plaint lodged by Deccan Wakf Mohammed Faizullah Abdul Bari Executive Member Properties Protection Society president Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri. Khaja Ahmed Hussain Executive Member During the survey it was found that more than half of the properties at - Mohammed Abdul Saleem Executive Member tached to the masjid were under the control of land grabbers and encroach - Jahangir Hussain Khan Member ers. It is alleged that the MIM leaders, who had complete knowledge of the wakf properties from the very begin - ning, encouraged land sharks and make THE NEW MANAGING COMMITTEE huge money by not objecting to grab - INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING bing of wakf properties. The MIM leaders also exerted Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, MLA President undue influence on the wakf board offi - cials and saw to it that the records re - Mohammed Liyaqath Ali Vice-president lated to masjid properties vanished. Since the records vanished and the Ahmedullah Shah Quadri Chisti Secretary common Muslims were kept in dark, Khaja Ahmed Hussain (Nagori) Joint Secretary they did not come to know the truth about their leaders. Mohammed Abdul Saleem Treasurer However, a few RTI and wakf pro - tection activists continued their strug - Kamran Khan Member gle for the protection of wakf properties risking their lives and secured official Mohammed Habeeb Quadri Member records which show the actual amount of properties attached to this masjid. Mohammed Omar Ali (Waseem) Member It is time the common Muslims Arshad Khan Member join hands with the RTI and wakf pro - tection activists to save wakf properties Syed Afzal Hussain (Saleem) Member from the clutches of selfish politicians, corrupt officials and land sharks. Isa Roohullah Member

24 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014

HAZRATH MIR M DARGAH LANDS MIM HELPS LAND SHARKS ITS MLA VIRASAT RASOOL KHAN ONE OF THE

26 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 question posed by the MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the legisla - tive assembly several years ago, has nAow put him in a tight spot with his own party MLAs turning out to be the grabber of God’s own property meant for the wel - fare of the poor Muslims. Asad, as he is popularly known, had posed a question (LAQ No.615) in the year 1995, when he was the only MLA of MIM, representing Charminar Assembly Con - stituency. The question was posed in an apparent attempt to win back the lost sympathy of Muslim electorate. The sympathy was lost following al - legations by MBT founder Amanullah Khan that Asad’s father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi chose to remain silent over the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya be - cause the latter had entered into a secret deal with the Congress party. Incidentally, the senior Owaisi was the president of Babri Masjid Action Committee at that point of time. The senior Owaisi took oath in the name of holy Quran in full public view at the historical Mecca Masjid on the occa - sion of last Friday of the holy month of Ramzan stating he did not enter into any secret deal with Congress party over Babri Masjid demolition. However, holy Quran very clearly says that one should swear only in the name of Almighty Allah and taking oath on any other thing is incor - rect. AHMOOD In this backdrop, Asad posed the question related to Wakf properties to woo the Muslim electorate. The then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu or - dered constitution of a House Committee on Wakf properties, which was the first of its kind at least in Andhra Pradesh. Asad GRABBED was one of the members of the House Committee. Unfortunately, the findings of the House Committee are now proving disas - trous for the MIM, the self-styled savior of ENCROACHERS Islam, because several MIM leaders in - cluding the party former MLAs Virasat

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 27 Rasool Khan, Mohammed Muq - croached or sold away by land Wakf Board in a scheduled or Na - tada Khan aka Afsar Khan, turned grabbers or unscrupulous ele - tionalised Bank in interest yielding out to be the grabbers of Wakf ments. The House Committee also deposit, the Sale Deed shall be ex - properties worth thousands of said in the report that the Wakf ecuted at the expense of the pur - crores. Board employees have been collud - chasers and the sale proceeds Virasat Rasool Khan’s mis - ing with the encroachers, land should be utilised exclusively for deeds came to light when the grabbers and sellers in systemataic creating an alternate Wakf prop - House Committee was enquiring annihilation of the Wakf Proper - erty for fulfillment of the object of into the grabbing of 488 acres of ties. Wakf as mentioned in the land situated in 54 survey numbers Though grabbing of the dar - Muntakhab. between 169 to 524 which belonged gah land was going on since 1970s, It was also mentioned in the to Dargah Hazrath Mir-Mahmood the then Charminar MLA Sultan GO that Virasat Rasool Khan had Saheb Pahadi at Attapur village in Salahuddin Owaisi remained requested for regularization of Rajendranagar Mandal of Ranga silent. houses and land already occupied Reddy district. It is due to this reason MIM by charging nominal price. Accord - It all began when the succes - MLA Virasat Rasool Khan could ingly, the House Committee rec - sors of self-styled Muthawallis – encroach about 15 acres of dargah ommended that the price fixed in Faizunnisa Begum and Tajunnisa land and constructed buildings. GO No.84 per square yard should Begum – entered into agreement Basheeruddin Babu Khan, the then be refixed only to facilitate regular - with others in connivance with the minister for minorities welfare, in - ization of wakf lands encroached Wakf Board employees and began formed the house that the MIM by the then MIM MLA Virasat Ra - selling away the dargah properties. MLA had occupied about 15 acres sool Khan and a few others. While they sold away more of dargah land and he had given in However, according to Section than half of the dargah land, little writing asking the state govern - 36-A of the Wakf Act, 1954 (Central over 62 acres was acquired by the ment for regularization of en - Act, 29 of 1954) no wakf property forest department for tiger safari at croachments. can be transferred by way of sale, a pittance of Rs 0.90 paise per Accordingly, government had gift, mortgate or exchange or lease square yard. Even the meager com - issued a GO No.84 on August 26, for a period exceeding three years pensation money of Rs 7,30,689 is 1994 granting permission to Wakf in case of agricultural land and for lying with the court due to pend - Board to regularize the illegal en - a period exceeding one year in case ing court cases over the ownership croachments and unauthorized oc - of non-agricultural land or build - of the land. Two persons – Ma - cupation and sale of the land to the ing without the previous sanction haveer Singh and Dr Saxena also occupants in survey numbers 315 to of the Wakf Board. sold away several acres of land to 319, 321/1, 321/2, 321/3 and 334/4 of This clearly shows the reluc - various people. Attapur Village, belonging to the tance of Owaisi family in protect - The House Committee report Darga at the rate of Rs. 100 per ing the wakf properties when they says that the Wakf Board was square yard, subject to the condi - are grabbed by people belonging to blind, dumb and deaf when its tions that the sale proceeds should their party or close to them in any properties were systematically en - be invested through the Secretary, manner.

28 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Local Arab youth deprived of their benefits ll India Majlis-e-Ittehadul community living in the city. In - Parcha Bafi Harmain Sharifain. Muslimeen (AIMIM) Party stead, the party leaders helped all The original objective of all the five has been holding Hyder - those who tried to harm the Arab wakf properties – Baitul Madina at aAbad Lok Sabha seat since 1984 community in one way or the Nampally, Madina Manzil at Hi - and Chandrayanagutta Assembly other. mayatnagar, Madina Mahal at Hy - seat since 1974. But little did the Take the case of wakf property derguda, Madina Villa at party do for the welfare of Arab attached to Majlis-e-Shura Dasti Mangalhat and eight shops at Vit -

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 29 Madina Educational Centre close to AP State Wakf Board office under encroachment

talwadi, Hyderabad – was to im - It was at this point of time, K M Ar - In 1991, Arifuddin played the part training in hand weaving to ifuddin managed to become the master stroke by registering Mad - the young Arab youth living in Ma - Muthawalli/Secretary of this Wakf ina Educational and Welfare Soci - dine Munawara, Saudi Arabia by Institution's Managing Committee ety and started collecting all the sending artisans and raw material in 1980. Subsequently, the wakf fees, donations in the name of the from Hyderabad. institution established Madina society. Acting in the capacity of However, taking advantage of Technical College at Baitul Madina the secretary of managing com - exploration of petrol in Saudi Ara - in 1980, Madina Public School at mittee he leased out the property bia, a few selfish persons with an Madina Manzil in 1982, Madina to Madina Educational and Wel - intention to grab the valuable wakf Junior College for Girls at Madina fare Society, represented by him - properties, got amended the orig - Manzil in 1983, Madina Students self in the capacity of the secretary inal by-laws without following due Hostel at Madina Mahal in 1987 of the society. Thus, he became the procedure of law. According to and Madina Junior College for lessee and lessor, thereby swin - Wakf Act, objective of a wakf insti - Boysat Madina Manzil in 1987. dling the money meant for poor tution cannot be changed. In case The Managing Committee Muslims. it is inevitable, the new objective obtained permissions for the con - The First House Committee should be very close to the old one. struction of new buildings in place on Wakf Properties, of which pres - In this instance, if youth in Saudi of old buildings from the Wakf ent MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi Arabia no longer require any assis - Board and recognition to the Edu - and its current legislator Mumtaz tance from a particular wakf insti - cational institutions was obtained Ahmed Khan were members, rec - tution, it should help the Arab from the Government in the name ommended a thorough enquiry youth living in Hyderabad and in of the Wakf Institution. The Man - against Arifuddin from the date of India, who are really in need of as - aging Committee collected dona - his becoming Secretary of the sistance. tions from the students, Nizam's Wakf Institution for his various But no such thing happened. Charitable Trust and other philan - commissions and omissions, Instead, it was decided to impart thropic Institutions for construc - under the provisions of the Central education to Muslim Community. tion of new buildings. Wakf Act.

30 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 The five Wakf protection activists

The House Committee also tion and RTI activists – Moullim recommended audit of the wakf Mohsin Bin Hussain Al Kasary, institution and its educational in - Mohammed Khairul Hassan, Syed stitutions since 1980, disciplinary Farees Ahmed, Osman Bin Mo - action against Wakf Board secre - hammed Al Hajri and M A Basith tary Mir Kamaluddin Ali Khan, – began collecting information Special Officer Mohammed Laiq under RTI Act and disseminated Ali Khan for amending the the same to public through media, muntakhab through the proceed - a few sincere wakf board officials ings dated November 12, 1993. initiated action against Arifuddin. The House Committee also One of the activists – Syed Fa - recommended disciplinary action rees Ahmed – filed a case in the against Mohammed Siddique and High Court in which the court di - Mohammed Mahmood, the then rected the Wakf Board to take ac - secretary and deputy secretary re - tutions under the direct manage - tion against Arifuddin. Only then, spectively, who inspected the ment of the Wakf Board. the Wakf Board initiated action to Wakf Institution on December 11, The final recommendations take control of the wakf institu - 1994 and submitted a report on of the house committee were sub - tions grabbed by Arifuddin. December 16, 1994 wherein it was mitted to the Assembly in the year Meanwhile, concerned mul - stated that the educational insti - 1997. Subsequently, Asaduddin sims alleged that Arifuddin would tutions located in the three multi- Owaisi, who was the active role not have been able to grab wakf storeyed buildings of the Wakf playing member of the House properties without the conspicu - Institution did not come under the Committee, became the member ous support of MIM leaders. It is purview of the Wakf Board. of the AP State Wakf Board and time to save Wakf Board from the The House Committee rec - chief patron of the wakf board em - clutches of selfish political leaders ommendations also included su - ployees association. But he never and demanded the nominated perseding the managing tried to ensure that the recom - posts in the board should be given committee of the wakf institution mendations made by the House to honest people fighting for the and take the management of the Committee were implemented. protection of wakf properties and same along with educational insti - It was only after wakf protec - common muslims.

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 31 MNC’s grab Dargah lands Jagan reaps benefits MIM, Congress, Scholars help land sharks

undreds of acres of Wakf and his son Jaganmohan Reddy. to GMR, Indu and Brahmani dur - lands belonging to Dar - Taking advantage of the al - ing 2005. The MIM leaders were gah Hazrath Baba Shar - leged cooperation from the MIM well aware of the fact that the Hfuddin, popularly known as Pahadi leaders, Rajasekhara Reddy sold lands were Wakf property, which is Sharif Dargah, were sold away by away the dargah lands at a throw - evident from a question (LAQ No. the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy away price through Andhra 3016) posed by the then Charmi - government for pittance, in the Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure nar MLA Asaduddin Owaisi in the garb of development. Corporation (APIIC) to Indu Proj - year 1996. And the Majlis Ittehadul ects and Brahmani Infratech Lim - Replying to the question on Muslimeen (MIM), the self-styled ited. The favour was extended September 3, 1996, the then Min - protector of Islam in Hyderabad, allegedly in return for the huge ister for Higher Education and made much hulla baloo in the As - kickbacks paid by the two indus - Waks, Basheeruddin Babu Khan sembly by threatening to launch tries in the form of making invest - had said in the house that the total agitation, but in the end simply ments in the companies owned by extent of land in survey number 83 forgot the issue allegedly in con - Jaganmohan Reddy. to 96 and 99 was2304.07 acres and nivance with Rajasekhara Reddy The Wakf lands were allotted as per the Gazette Notifica¬tion

32 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 only survey numbers 90, 91, 92 and 99/1 are notified as Wakf under the Dargah which comes to 2190.01 acres in addition to the area of the Dargah structures in survey num - ber 96. However, the House Commit - tee on Wakf properties, of which Asaduddin is a member, observed that the dargah has 2131.38 acres of land in survey number 99/1 in Mamidipally Village according to serial number 2911 of the Gazette. This clearly shows the MIM was well aware of the fact that the government was trying to alienate

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 33 the Wakf lands by manipulating records. Yet, the so-called protec - tor of Islam chose to extend coop - eration to Rajasekhara Reddy regime. Instead of protecting the Wakf lands, the MIM leaders tried to mislead the angry people of their community by staging an ag - itation for the reconstruction of the mosque demolished for devel - oping the airport. It is alleged that the MIM has not been sincere even in this aspect which is evident Farm house in the garb of education society built by Link Travels on Dargah lands from the fact that the mosque has not been built even to this date. Owaisi brag about their unrelent - very pathetic. When huge prop - What is sickening in the en - ing struggle for the protection of erty was available to this dargah, it tire episode is that the government Wakf properties, the House Com - should have been the basic duty of tried to manipulate records by mittee on Wakf Properties, in the Wakf Board as Muthawalli to showing that the land was ac - which Asaduddin is a key member, prevent the revenue authorities quired by forest department in washed its hands simply blaming from issuing pattas. The failure of 1950s and subsequently it was the Wakf Board and recommend - the Wakf Board is evident.” given to animal husbandry depart - ing eye-wash measures. The House Committee rec - ment. Later, the APIIC acquired The House Committee said in ommended the Wakf Board to 981 acres from the animal hus - its report that, “It looks as if the conduct survey of all the proper - bandry department merely by pay - Wakf Board was interested in get - ties of the dargah including the ing little over Rs 7 crore as ting the income from the dargah of landed property in coordination compensation. Rs 2 lakh and not in respect of with and cooperation of the Ranga The revenue officials went to other aspects. It is unfortunate Reddy District Collector and take the extent of stating in the docu - that several Wakf Institutions are appropriate action against the en - ments that the alienation of land having huge properties but could croachers by filing cases and see for animal husbandry department not be effectively managed and that the property is restored to the was not reflected in the revenue protected resulting in the loss of Wakf Institutions. records. such properties by the Wakf The Committee also recom - Official documents available Board. The situation seemed to be mended that pattas given may be with The News show the blatant cancelled immediately and the manipulation of records by the ad - Major encroachers property may be restored to the ministration to enable Rajasekhara 881.32 acres in the cus - Wakf Institutions. Reddy regime sell away the Wakf tody of APIIC of which 250 After submitting the report lands at throwaway price to a each has been given away to neither the House Committee nor group of investors who paid huge Indu and Brahmani at a the MIM, whose current chief kickbacks to Jagan as part of quid- throwaway price of Rs 20 lakh Asaduddin was the member of the pro-quo arrangement, as stated by per acres while the prevailing committee, bothered to follow up the Central Bureau of Investiga - market (Government) value the issue and ensure action for ob - tion (CBI) in its chargesheet filed was more than Rs 1 crore per vious reasons. in the disproportionate assets case acre. It is time the people of Hyder - registered against the chief of YSR 250 acres – Indutech abad recognize the true colours of Congress. 250 acres – Brahmani their leaders and teach them a les - Though Asaduddin and his 1025.06 acres – Airport son whenever they get an opportu - younger brother Akbaruddin nity.

34 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Wakf property grabbed by Afsar Khan MIM leader mortgages Wakf

Mohammed Muqtada Khan Property for loan aka Afsar Khan

e is a member of the leg - a Charminar Cooperative Urban islative Assembly and be - The assets presently Bank for his personal purpose and longs to a political party owned by Afsar Khan did not repay the loan. Hthat claims to be the champion of had allegedly been It appears the non-repayment Islam and muslim community in acquired with the of loan was deliberate because the Hyderabad. But facts and figures money borrowed from MLA was not bothered about the give an entirely different picture of property as it was not his hard this legislator. Charminar earned one. The property actually All India Majlis Ittehadul is a wakf property but Afsar Khan, Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA from prime wakf property in Mehdipat - despite being a legislator and Karwan Assembly Constituency, nam. Not just grabbing, but he member of the MIM, simply Mohammed Muqtada Khan aka mortgaged the property and ob - grabbed the land meant for the Afsar Khan is accused of grabbing tained huge amount of loan from welfare of poor muslims and ob -

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 35 tained loan by furnish - the officials con - Wakf property grabbed by Afsar Khan ing forged documents. cerned initiate appro - According to priate action against Osman Bin Mo - the land grabber. Also, hammed Al-Hajri, pres - the people should give ident of Deccan Wakf a befitting reply to the Properties Protection land grabbers in the Society, Afsar Khan had forthcoming elec - grabbed the wakf land tions. admeasuring acres 1.06 Concerned citi - guntas situated at zens from muslim Mehdipatnam and at - community opine that tached to Dargah the MIM leadership Hazrath Sabith Ali should have made Shah. The legislator got Afsar Khan resign demolished a mosque from his position and on the encroached wakf expel him from the land and constructed a party the moment hotel named Meraj when information Hotel. about grabbing Wakf Osman Al-Hajri property came to light told The News that a through newspapers. house was constructed They also say that over part of the wakf all the assets presently land admeasuring 224 owned by Afsar Khan square yards and the had been acquired same was mortgaged to with the money bor - Charminar Cooperative rowed from Charminar Co - Urban Bank for obtain - operative Urban Bank by ing a loan of Rs 69 lakh. mortgaging the Wakf property. But the MLA did not repay response from the officials con - Hence, all his assets should be the loan following which the bank cerned in this connection, the seized and handed over to Wakf decided to auction the property wakf protection activist has filed a Board besides initiating criminal mortgaged as the outstanding case in the high court and the proceedings against him. loan amount as on December 31, same is pending. They sought to know from 2012 was Rs 14,84,53,282. However, Meanwhile, a section of mus - the MIM leadership whether Afsar the auction was suspended after lim community expressed dis - Khan would have kept quite if the wakf board officials intervened pleasure over the double property mortgaged with the bank and produced documents show - standards of MIM. “When people was acquired through hard earned ing the property belonged to wakf from other community even at - money. “He became defaulter be - board, he said. tempt to grab wakf land, MIM cause it was a Wakf property and Osman Al-Hajri also said that leaders go to extreme levels to grabbed by the former MLA,” the the wakf board did not file a case show that they are fighting for the concerned citizens said. so far against Afsar Khan for grab - muslims. But the party has not ut - The concerned citizens also bing wakf property merely be - tered a word when its own legisla - said the MIM was not going to cause the land grabber is a tor grabbed wakf land and benefit in any way by dropping legislator and a member of MIM, mortgaged it to borrow money him in the current elections since which has complete control over from a cooperative bank,” they the nexus between Afsar Khan the wakf board. said. and the MIM leadership has Since there was absolutely no Osman Al-Hajri says it is time clearly come to light.

36 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 Lanco Hills project on Wakf land Over 1000 acres of wakf land sold for pittance Land attached to Dargah Hazrath Hussain Shah Wali MNCs have got hundreds of acres Lanco Hills gets 100 acres, MIM silent on the issue for a pittance. It may be recalled the then Case pending in Supreme Court Congress government headed by late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy allotted he Wakf Board has miser - Manikonda. Lanco Hills, owned by more than 1000 acres of wakf land ably failed in protecting the former Congress MP Lagadapati in Manikonda village near Gachi - lands attached to Dargah Rajagopal alone is sitting on 100 bowli to MNCs and real estate de - THazrath Hussain Shah Wali in acres of this land, while other velopers at throwaway price.

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 37 Congress leader Mohd Ali Shabbir at a religious function (file photo)

Lanco Hills is constructing a mega Lanco Hills approached the Supreme township and SEZ in 100 acres of land, Court, which allowed construction and while other MNCs such as Emaar, Mi - sale of properties subject to the out - crosoft, Infosys, Wipro and Polaris come of the case. Armed with this were also given the wakf land at throw - order, Lanco Hills has been conduct - away price. ing business in full swing. Initially the state government It is alleged that the companies maintained that it was government which got the lands for a pittance had land and it was at liberty to allot the paid huge bribes to late Rajasekhara same to companies. Following protests Reddy’s son Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, from wakf protection activists, the several politicians and officials in the Wakf Board had to act and file a case government and Wakf Board. The against government’s decision. lands attached to this dargah are esti - Disposing a petition, the high mated to be around Rs 32,000 crore. court in April 2012 observed that the What is surprising is that the All 1,654.32 acres of land allotted to Lanco India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Hills for the construction of Techno - (AIMIM), the self styled champion of logical Park belonged to Wakf Board. Islam in Hyderabad, chose to remain The court advised the Lanco Hills to silent in this case. It is said the MIM re - settle the ownership dispute at the mained silent for obvious reasons, Wakf Board Tribunal only. while the TRS occasionally raised its Earlier, the Wakf Tribunal stayed voice only against Lanco Hills leaving the constructions of Lanco hills follow - other players who got the wakf lands ing objection raised by Wakf Board. for a pittance. Challenging the High Court order,

38 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 GREEDY TRUSTEES, OFFICIALS GRAB WAKF PROPERTY WORTH `100 CR

WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014 | 39 Wakf Board special officer mum on the illegal transactions t was a Wakf property according to the Andhra Pradesh Gazette dated March 16, 1989, meant for pIroviding aid for the needy persons belonging to Jamaath Suleimani. But the Mutawallis (Trustees) in collusion with some greedy officials of the Wakf Board grabbed prime property worth several crores of ru - pees, built luxurious apartments and sold the flats to individuals. Documents available with The NEWS show that the property measuring 5833.33 square yards lo - cated at Shantinagar bearing mu - nicipal number 10-2-9 was actually meant for the purpose of providing aid to the members of Jamaath Suleimani. The property was quiry that the Inspector Auditor named Kunj-e-Afiath. concerned did not collect Wakf However, the Wakf property fund from the mutawallis of Kunj- was grabbed and an apartment e-Afiath. Instead, Inspector Audi - named NASR Apartments was con - tor of another circle had collected a structed. Several illegal transac - paltry amount of Rs 9080 from the tions were carried out before and mutawallis. after the construction of the apart - Ironically, the enquiry report ments. did not recommend any criminal The construction of apart - action against those responsible for ments and sale of residential flats carrying out the illegal transactions came to light after RTI activist force officer and sold out the Wakf property. It Mohsin Bin Hussain Al Kasary and the surveyor of the Board. just said necessary action would be lodged a complaint with the Wakf During enquiry it was found by the taken to prevent further illegal Board seeking criminal proceed - officials that the Wakf property was transactions and registrations. ings against all those involved in indeed encroached. As many as 84 RTI activist Mohsin alleged the illegal transactions. residential flats were constructed that there was larger conspiracy be - Mohsin alleged in his repre - and the complex has been named hind the alienation of Wakf prop - sentation given to the Wakf Board NASR Apartments. erty. Neither the MIM MLAs and chairman that the property worth The enquiry also revealed that MP, nor the officials who are mem - more than Rs 100 crore was sold several illegal transactions were bers of Wakf Board objected while away by the mutawallis in collusion carried out and the flats were sold the property was being sold. The with some Wakf Board officials and and registered to various people at MLAs could have raised the issue in sought action against them. Golconda Sub-Registrar office since the Assembly, but they did not do The Wakf Board chairman or - 2006 by misrepresenting the facts. so. This indicates larger collusion dered a joint enquiry by the task It was also found in the en - and conspiracy, he alleged.

40 | WAKF SPECIAL | APRIL 2014