The Minority Commission has come out with an explosive report saying that half of its Rs 4.10 lakh crore worth properties across Karnataka have been encroached on by political heavyweights. The list of accused politicians include deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha K. Rehman Khan, former Union minister C.K. Jaffar Sharif, Congress leaders C.M. Ibrahim, Qamar-ul- Islam, R. Roshan Baig, Tanveer Sait, A.M. Hindasageri, N.A. Haris and JD (S) leader Iqbal Ansari.
While indicting 38 people, the Commission followed a meticulous procedure over a period of four months to arrive at its conclusions. Commission chairman Anwar Manippady submitted the 7000-page voluminous report to the state government on Monday stating that over Rs. 2.35 lakh crore worth wakf board properties have been encroached.
What was more shocking was the Commission’s disclosure that of the properties encroached upon, Rs 1 lakh crore worth properties are in Bengaluru city alone. The magnitude of the scam has been estimated as per the present market value of the properties. The scam was unearthed after collecting documentary evidence from sub-registrar offices.
Under section 10(1)A of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission Act 1995, the Commission has the power to inquire into illegalities which directly affect minorities. While investigating alleged irregularities in minority welfare schemes in Bidar district, the Commission received hundreds of complaints on the encroachment of Wakf board properties and took up a full fledged probe. It began an investigation to find out how wakf properties had been grabbed, Mr Manippady told Deccan Chronicle.
The Wakf Board has over 75,000 acres of land across the state of which only 54000 acres has been registered. The Board also has 33,741 immovable assets in registered properties and 18,000 immovable assets in unregistered properties. Land given to dargahs and mosques has also been encroached upon by politicians, Mr Manippady said.
To get accurate statistics, the Commission first obtained the original gazette notifications of Wakf Board properties in each district. The survey numbers of each property were then verified with the sub-registrar office. The verification proved that some of the properties have been given on lease for a marginal rent for hundred years, some others had been sold and some illegally registered in the names of family members of Congress leaders, Commission sources said.
The Commission has recommended the constitution of a high power committee to safeguard wakf properties. It has also suggested that a task force be constituted to recover encroached properties and criminal action be initiated against those who have encroached on the properties.