[1]Former minority affairs minister Anees Ahmed has pointed fingers at Arif Naseem Khan, who is currently in-charge of the department, by alleging that the minister took no action against the arrested CEO of the state Wakf board, despite repeated complaints.
The former minister alleged that numerous complaints were sent to Mr Khan against the state Wakf board chief executive officer (CEO) N.D. Pathan, who was recently arrested while accepting a bribe, but they were ignored. Instead, more powers were vested with the CEO, he alleged. Incidentally, both Mr Khan and Mr Ahmed belong to the Congress.
Mr Ahmed also demanded that the state initiate an inquiry and streamline the affairs of the state Wakf board. He met chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Friday in this regard and demanded stern action against the officers responsible for irregularities of Wakf properties worth crores of rupees. “Both the Wakf board and the minority affairs ministry are the guardians of the Wakf properties, but they have given the occupation of prime lands on ridiculously low rents and even resorted to outright sale of priceless properties,” Mr Ahmed alleged.
He also asked why no action was taken against the CEO, despite a letter being sent by the Union minority affairs ministry in March 2011 to the state department, to probe the complaints against the CEO.
When contacted, Mr Khan refuted the allegations saying that there were no specific complaints. “I didn’t receive any specific complaint. However, after the arrest, I have already directed the additional chief secretary Thanksy Thekekkara of the minority affairs department to probe all the decisions taken by the CEO in his tenure,” Mr Khan said.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/mumjpg-356