Telangana Govt to crack whip on Wakf land sharks

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali on Thursday directed officials of the Wakf Board to take action against persons selling away Wakf land under the Mir Mahmood Sahab ki Pahadi (MM Pahadi) in Attapur village. He asked the Rangareddy Joint Collector and Rajendranagar MRO to submit all relevant documents pertaining to the land. The development comes following the publication of a story ‘Land sharks flourish on prime Wakf lands’ on February 18 in The Hans India.

The deputy chief minister convened a meeting at his chambers in the Secretariat on Thursday to ascertain facts on the case. The meeting was attended by minorities welfare secretary Syed Omer Jaleel, Minorities Welfare department director and other higher officials. He also spoke to the Joint Collector and Rajendranagar MRO on phone seeking verification of the land in question.

Later, a team of Wakf Board officials visited the controversial site in survey number 335/1 of M M Pahadi in Attapur village. They gathered information and collected documents from claimants of the land. Officials said they would file criminal cases against the promoters and individuals involved in the process of selling away land only after ascertaining facts in the case. “We have initiated action against the persons involved in this case. Criminal cases will be filed shortly against them,” informed Telangana State Wakf Board CEO Md Asadullah.

The official also informed that the Wakf Board is also making all out efforts to secure the remaining land out of total 480 acre of M M Pahadi notified as Wakf property. “We have written to the sub-registrar's office asking them to cancel the registration and also to the GHMC which had given permission for constructing roads and creating other infrastructure facilities for the venture. We will write a letter to the RR district collector seeking assistance,” he said.