High Court relief for tainted qazi

Hyderabad: The High Court has temporarily suspended a government order (GO) against a tainted qazi after the latter approached the court. The qazi, Ali Abdulla Rifai, had been terminated from his post with a government order after the authorities found out that he had been involved in a molestation case. Special secretary to government, Minority Welfare Department, Mr Syed Omar Jaleel, said that the government was taking all necessary action to fight the order.

Mr Rifai was earlier arrested by city police for forcing poor Muslim girls into contract marriages. Mr Jaleel said that Mr Rifai, who had applied for the qazi’s post in April last year, had concealed his criminal past and had got through.

“However, based on a report submitted by the district collector, we issued a GO cancelling his appointment. However, Mr Rifai approached the High Court and got an interim suspension on the government order.”

The government had initiated action after many complaints had been received regarding the criminal background of Mr Rifai. Officials said that the Bhavani Nagar Police had registered a case against Mr Rifai under Sections 354 (criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 448 (house-trespass) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The 54-year-old Mr Rifai had allegedly forced poor girls into contract marriages with Arab sheikhs.