The Hindu : Front Page : Show cause notice issued to Wakf Board chairperson

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Thursday, Jul 05, 2007
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Show cause notice issued to Wakf Board chairperson

Special Correspondent

Mukesh Ambani is constructing a building in Altamount Road area

Mukesh Ambani

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Government has issued a show cause notice to the chairperson of the Maharashtra State Board for Wakfs, asking him to explain the alleged irregularities in sale of land that includes a property in the posh Altamount Road area. Reliance Industries head Mukesh Ambani is constructing a building on the land.

Under scanner

Wakf property deals have been under the scanner for a while and a Joint Parliamentary Committee had asked the State Government to examine the board’s dealings.

The committee recently visited the Ambani building and the issue was raised at the national level.

Board chairman M. A. Aziz told The Hindu that he had received the notice and a clarification would be made within 15 days.

He said he had made his position clear to the Government and also to the Qadri Committee, which conducted an inquiry into the land dealings.

Mr Aziz said the land was sold to Antilia Commercial Private Limited, just before the Wakf Board was constituted in 2002. The 4,532 square metre property on Altamount Road was owned by the Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Orphanage.

Mr Aziz clarified that the transaction took place with the approval of the Charity Commissioner and the Maharashtra Government and the property was sold for Rs. 21 crore, which, according to him, was an under-valuation.

The State Government also approved a change of user in the case of the land sold to Antilia. Five property are under the scanner and Mr. Aziz said the Wakf Board had its own position on each of them.

The Khoja Trust had even gone to the Bombay High Court saying that their property was not Wakf land and the matter was sub judice.

Even the Maharashtra Government was saying in court that it was not Wakf land, he pointed out.

However, an inquiry by the State Government, conducted by Sadiq Qadri, chief financial officer of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, raised several questions.

It recommended a CID probe into the matter.

Besides the Altamount road land deal, other places where the Wakf Board is being accused of irregularities are in Nanded, Beed and Aurangabad.

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