HYDERABAD: The state government is likely to form a committee to look into the irregularities allegedly perpetrated by the TS Wakf Board. The committee will comprise former officials of the Minority Welfare, Vigilance and revenue departments as well as members of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. According to sources, a complete revamp of the Wakf Board is also on the cards. A senior IAS officer may be made the chief executive officer (CEO) of the board. Late on Tuesday night, Revenue officials sealed 25 rooms of the Wakf Board office at Nampally.
“The orders issued by the Minority Welfare department stated that all the records were to be seized and kept sealed. It stated that all files should be examined,” said an official. On Wednesday morning, the officials were instructed to seal the premises and the police was asked to provide security. The officials shifted all the cupboards and files into three rooms and sealed them. About 215 almirahs and 15 gunny bags containing nearly 20,000 files in all were sealed. Sources said that armed police personnel were deployed to prevent anyone from entering the premises and damaging or stealing the files.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a marathon meeting with officials of the Minority Welfare department during which he discussed the functioning of the Wakf Board. Several Muslim groups have been demanding an inquiry into the functioning of the Board. An inquiry ordered by the elected members of the Board failed to take off. Over the past two months, this newspaper has published extensive reports on the various scams allegedly being perpetrated by the Board including the appointment of unqualified persons, the leasing out of important lands at throwaway prices, and the low rent amounts of its properties. “There are 50 attendants at the TS Wakf Board to take care of 60 employees holding the rank of officer. Imagine the loot of government funds,” says Ather Moin, a social activist. TS Minorities Commission former chairman Abid Rasool Khan said that he had approached the Supreme Court demanding a CBI inquiry into the functioning of the Board.
