Case against the then Waqf Board Chairman pertains to misuse of official position, financial irregularities and allowing tenants to occupy board properties
In another setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against party legislator from Okhla, Amanatullah Khan, on Friday for the alleged recruitment scam and financial irregularities in Delhi Waqf Board when Khan was its chairman.
The agency registered a corruption case against Khan after Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung recommended a CBI probe into the scam allegations, after he dissolved the board in October. This is expected to further escalate tension between the Centre and the AAP government.
"We have registered a corruption case against the then chairman of Delhi Waqf Board and unknown persons under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act related to criminal misconduct and corruption," said a senior CBI officer.
The FIR has been registered based on the complaints submitted by BJP leader and RTI activist Vivek Garg, and Mohammad Mustafa, to the Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in September.
The case pertains to misuse of official position, financial irregularities and allowing encroachers and tenants to occupy Waqf Board properties in violation of the lease rules of the board, the agency said.
The FIR alleged that the existing Waqf Board was illegally scrapped and superseded by the Delhi government under the directions of Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister of Delhi, CBI sources said.
It alleged that another Waqf Board was constituted and its chairman was elected under the directions of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in contravention of the Waqf Act-1955 and Delhi Waqf rules of 1977.
Sources also said that the ACB has submitted all documents related to the case to the CBI for further probe last week. ACB had grilled Khan and also carried out raids at the Waqf Board during preliminary inquiry into the complaints.
"We have submitted our inquiry report to the CBI," a source in ACB said.
According to the complaints, when Khan was the Chairman of the board, around 40 people were hired in contravention to the recruitment rules. It was also alleged that the jobs were given to Khan's relatives and AAP workers and that no advertisements were issued regarding the recruitment. They further alleged that the Delhi Waqf Board has recruited people on several key posts since Khan became the chairman of the body in March this year.
On October 7, Jung dissolved the Waqf Board and referred the matter to the CBI. He directed the authorities concerned to reconstitute the board, quashing all appointments made by Khan. While Khan was the Chairman of the board, retired IPS officer Mehboob Alam was appointed as CEO. Both the appointments were struck down by the LG"for not having obtained the approval of the competent authority".
The LG office, in a statement, had said: "In view of the deliberate and persistent acts of illegality, violation of rules, allegations of corruption, possibility of mala fide intentions etc, the matter related to the Delhi Waqf Board is referred to the CBI for investigation."
Jung has also directed Divisional Commissioner A Anbarasu to constitute a committee to review the legality and propriety of all decisions and action taken by the Board after its constitution in March 2016 and submit its report . Earlier this month, the officer had submitted the report to the LG office .
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