Shops built in Wakf property on the sly

The TS Wakf Board detected a major fraud running into crores of rupees during an inspection of a Wakf property in Old City.

A few traders in connivance with local Wakf inspectors and officials had constructed about 100 ‘shops’ in the Nabi Khana Moulvi Akbar complex located at Pathergatti. The board stumbled upon the ‘shops’ in the complex during an inspection undertaken by a team of officials recently.

Sources said influential shopkeepers in connivance with a builder and a few board officials had built additional shops in the four-storey building. The complex on official record has 300-odd shops rented out to traders. However, there is no record of the 100 shops functioning in the complex with the board.

The inspection was taken up on the request of a house committee of legislative assembly of Wakf affairs.

“During inspection, it was noticed that 100 shops were constructed in the complex, including the corridors and the cellar. We have made a record of it and are inquiring into it,” said TS Wakf Board chairman Mohammed Saleem.

He said that an inquiry has been ordered against officials responsible for the irregularity. “After the report is submitted, officials if found guilty will be suspended,” he said.

During the four-day inspection, officials took measurements of all shops and updated the records. According to sources in the Wakf Board, there were discrepancies in the earlier records about the area and rents fixed with the shopkeepers. Officials estimated that the board might have lost a few crores as revenue owing to the irregularities and fraud.