Waqf Board row: CBI to grill AAP leader Amanatullah Khan

New Delhi: With the CBI preparing to question senior AAP leader and former chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, Amanatullah Khan, in connection with its ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities in operations of the board, a fresh round of confrontation between Delhi government and the Centre is set to intensify. Mr Khan, sources said, will soon be summoned for questioning by the agency.

Sources said, “The CBI probe has revealed that the erstwhile Waqf Board was illegally superseded by the Delhi government through a notification issued dated October 8, 2015. Another Waqf Board was constituted and its chairman was elected in contravention of Waqf Act, 1955 and Delhi Waqf rules of 1977”.

This was done without placing the matter before the lieutenant-governor, despite being advised to do so, they added. The agency on November 25, 2016, registered a case against Mr Khan and unknown persons under IPC Sections related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act related to criminal misconduct and corruption.

“During probe, it is found that the CEO of the new Waqf Board and over 30 staff members were appointed and employed by the Waqf Board in contravention of Section 24 of the Waqf Act, 1955,” said sources.

Role of Amanatullah Khan was crucial in the appointment of CEO Mehboob Alam. It has also been found that no notification was issued regarding Mehboob Alam’s appointment as CEO till it was revoked on October 7, 2016”, sources said. Now, the agency wants to seek clarifications from Mr Khan in this regard and he will soon be called for questioning, sources said.

On October 7, 2016, the then Delhi lieutenant- governor Najeeb Jung had scrapped the Delhi Waqf Board and referred the matter for a CBI probe. The CBI in its FIR has already alleged that irregular and illegal appointment of officials led to the loss of revenue of Delhi Waqf Board and appointments were done by misusing the official position as public servants.

The agency in its FIR also alleged that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had bypassed laid down rules and regulations while clearing the appointment of Mehboob Alam as CEO of board. “The role of the chief minister and deputy chief minister has come under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation after its registered an FIR based on a complaint from Delhi Government alleging that rules were violated in major appointments in the Board,” the agency alleged in the FIR.