Rs 2.5K cr waqf scam in Maharashtra; Board CEO Naseeba Patel suspended

The Maharashtra government on Friday suspended former Waqf Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Naseeba Bano Patel after a preliminary inquiry found her guilty of ruling a waqf property worth Rs 2,500 crore in Nashik as a non-waqf one in early 2016.

The 55-acre property, at a prime location in Nashik, now has a township coming up on it after the builder took possession of it by paying compensation to encroachers who became the legal heir of the land after the CEO declared the land non-waqf.

“The suspended officer passed the order on February 4, 2016. A preliminary inquiry by the Minorities Department proved that the intention of the officer was mala fide.,” said the order passed by the Revenue and Land Department on Friday morning.

As per law, a waqf is an endowment made by a Muslim to a religious, educational, or charitable cause. It can neither be transferred nor sold. The land in question belonged to the Masjid Doodhwari Katra, Morwadi, Nashik. It was first donated as waqf land for a mosque by Shah Jahan in the 15th century.

Interestingly, the Revenue Department has all documents – starting from the Shah Jahan order till the last waqf survey in 1997-2000. Even in the survey, the property was declared as waqf. The department even has the Shahi order (sanant).

Under the Maharashtra Public Services Act, 1979, the state government decided to suspend Patel from service effective March 3. Patel has also been barred from taking up private work during her suspension period.

Patel, an officer of a superintendent rank, misused her powers while holding additional charge of CEO. The post of CEO of the Waqf Board has been vacant for a long time. In 2015, Patel was given additional charge.   

According to sources, the issue came to light when the Minorities Department initiated an inquiry against the members whose names were recommended by the waqf board for appointment as permanent CEO.

The department grew suspicious when Patel was recommended despite not being eligible. As per rule, the CEO of Waqf Board has to be a Muslim and of deputy-secretary rank. In January this year, the government appointed AR Qureshi, a judicial officer as the Waqf CEO on the recommendations of the Bombay High Court.

Maharashtra has around 97,000 acres of waqf land.

The Marathas and Peshwas who ruled Maharashtra in 18h century also documented the land as waqf property. In 1923, during the British rule, the document was again notified as waqf property in the Bombay gazette. The survey of 1997-2000 confirmed it again.