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Malegoan:
The Government of Maharashtra in a decision taken on August 12
transferred Maharashtra State Waqf Board Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) Sayyad Sadique Ali Qadri from his post, according to the media
reports.
The decision was announced by Minister
for Minority Development and Auqaf Arif Naseem Khan in a press conference yesterday.
"I have ordered for Qadri to be
transferred to his parent cadre following complaints of his
transferring land at Kultabad near Aurangabad to one of his
relatives", he said.
He also said that an inquiry has been
instituted against Qadri and stated that around 60 percent of over
80,000 acres of Waqf land in the state has been encroached.
Additional Chief Secretary Ana Dani
has been asked to appoint an officer to conduct the inquiry against
Qadri, who served as the CEO of the State Waqf Board since 2008.
He also announced appointment of Ms.
Shaheen Qadri as care-taker CEO till further notice. Ms. Shaheen
Qadri is currently working as Dy. Secretary in the Minority
Development Department.
The Maharashtra Government's decision
to transfer Sadique Ali follows allegations against him raised by
opposition leaders during the monsoon session last month.
Accusing large scale irregularities in
the Waqf properties, the opposition led by BJP MLA Eknath Khadse and
MNS leader Balanand Gaonkar had demanded enquiry and transfer of the
state board CEO.
Replying to the allegations, Chief
Minister Ashok Chavan and Minority Development Minister Arif Naseem
Khan had promised to order an enquire into the alleged scam. They
had also hinted at the transfer of the CEO.
While announcing the transfer of the
CEO in the press conference held yesterday at Mantralay, Arif Naseem
Khan also expressed concern over the reported encroachment of waqf
lands in Wapoli, Ratnagiri.
"The encroachment of the waqf lands in
Wapoli is a serious matter. The government is looking into it and if
needed I would personally visit the place to have a first hand
account of the situation", the Minister said.
Meanwhile, Qadri denied of having
received any order of his transfer and dismissed all charges of
wrongdoing. However, he admitted that the NOC had been granted for
the purpose of development of land only.
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