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AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan ignored the advice of the CEO while appointing 33 employees at the Delhi Waqf Board, ACB stated in its FIR.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan ignored the advice of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) while appointing 33 employees at the Delhi Waqf Board, Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) stated in its First Information Report (FIR).
The FIR, which was registered on the complaint of one Hafiz Irshad Qureshi, also stated that the MLA from Okhla, who is the chairman of the Waqf Board, created a tenancy in the board properties and was involved in financial irregularities in the functioning of the board.
The FIR also stated that the CEO had “pointed out complete violations of rules, regulations and instructions, in the process of recruitment by the Board Chairman and members”.
On Friday, Khan was summoned by the ACB to join the probe. He was asked to appear at the ACB office at noon, however, he reached about 3 pm. The case was registered on January 28, 2020.
On being asked why the agency took over two years to summon Khan, the officers claimed that they were collecting the evidence and verifying certain facts. ACB officers claimed that they had received multiple complaints about irregularities by Khan in the functioning of the Delhi Waqf Board.
ACB sources further told The New Indian that despite the warning, which was pointed out by the then CEO Mohammad A Abid, the rules were ignored in the appointment of the 33 employees in the Delhi Waqf Board. Though the appointment was made on a contract basis.
Sources said out of these 33 appointees, half a dozen of them were close relatives of Khan and 22 were from Okhla, which is his constituency.
Speaking to The New Indian, Khan said that he had not violated any rules of appointment. Putting the onus on the CEO, Khan said, “Abid did the misconduct, not I. I am ready to face the agency. Let them register as many cases against me as I have done nothing wrong,” said Khan.
Sources said that the ACB also got a complaint about 21 properties of Waqf Board where tenants were staying in an “illegal manner”. The majority of such properties are located near Fathepuri Masjid in the Chandni Chowk area.
The official sources also said that there were major irregularities in the operation of Waqf Board bank accounts as authorised signatories were found to be changed and replaced. According to the source, funds from the Waqf Board were unlawfully withdrawn and appropriated.
The ACB has booked Khan under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
Khan, who is vocal on issues related to minorities, is also facing over 23 criminal cases in the national capital.
