Hyderabad: Dargah head accused of selling Wakf lands

Hyderabad: In a major development, the Raidurgam police has registered a case against mutawalli (caretaker) Syed Saifullah Hussaini of the Dargah Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali, and his sons Syed Jani Hussaini, S.M. Gesudaraz Hussaini and others for alienating properties of the Wakf institution that holds over 1,600 acres of land in Manikonda.

The case was based on a complaint lodged by Wakf Board chief executive officer Shahnawaz Qasim who had received a complaint from one Mr Afzal Ahmed Khan.

Prior to this, Mr Qasim had constituted a team comprising the executive officer, inspector-auditor and surveyor to study the allegations. The team reported back that there were prima facie fraudulent transactions involving the dargah land.

On Mr Qasim’s complaint, the police has registered a case (Crime No. 101 of 2019) against the trio and others under IPC Section 447 (criminal trespass) and 427 (causing damage) and 52 (A) of Wakf Act.

The Abids police had recently arrested four persons, including the former chief executive officer of the Wakf Board, for creating a fake no-objection certificate declaring that a piece of land belonging to the Dargah Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali was not Wakf property.

Dargah Hussain Shah Wali is a gazette notified Wakf institution with 1,654 acres and 52 guntas of land in Manikonda. The Nazim-e-Atiyat had declared the land inam and meant for the service of the dargah. This was confirmed by the High Court in 1961.

Complainant Afzal Ahmed Khan alleged that mutawalli Hussaini, upon his retirement, had constituted a managing committee and remained sajjada nashin (hereditary administrator). He and his sons, who are members of the managing committee, executed several documents alienating the land in the name of one Sheetal Singh by receiving Rs 2.5 lakh. They executed development agreement on November 4, 2003, along with registered power of attorney.

Later, they executed a memorandum of agreement on December 20, 2013, in favour of one Mohd Ahmed Ansari and three others, alienating 60 per cent of land in Manikonda village and land in villages mentioned in Muntakhab No. 98/1958 issued by the Nazim-e-Atiyat and executed general power of attorney in his favour a week later.

They executed irrevocable general power of attorney cum memorandum of understanding on December 27, 2006, in favour of Mohd Imran and another person, alienating the Manikonda Wakf land mentioned in the Muntakhab.

On December 12, 2012, they executed another GPA in favour of Mohd Imran with respect to the Manikonda land. The complainant alleged that the retired mutawalli filed a petition (WP No. 13534/2014) against the AP government regarding land in Surveys No. 185 to 196, 247 to 251, 59 and 65 of Manikonda village by treating the Wakf land as his ancestral patta land.

Speaking about the case, Mr Qasim said, “We are taking action swiftly. No one will be allowed to cross the line.” He promised departmental action against the mutawalli and his sons.

Wakf Board chairman Mohd Saleem said the board would not hesitate to take action against anyone who was damaging the cause of the Wakf. He said neither mutawalli Syed Saifullah Hussaini nor the Wakf Board had the authority to alienate the Wakf properties for their gain. “We are keen on protecting Wakf land. It is a prime property worth of crores of rupees.”

Mr M.K. Hasan a Wakf activist, demanded a comprehensive inquiry into the transactions and unearth the mafia behind the transactions. He asked the government to transfer the case to the Vigilance and Enforcement Department and cancel the all agreements and MoUs made so far with regard the the Dargah Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali land.