Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board has removed 24 more caretakers of waqf properties in the state and also decided to demolish a shopping mall allegedly built on waqf property in Rampur.
The move comes close on the heels of removal of 27 'mutwallis' or caretakers of endowed properties, including Maulana Kalbe Jawwad and Congress MLA Nawab Kazim Ali.
Incidentally, Jawwad and Ali have been involved in spat with Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister Azam Khan.
The board also decided last night to realise the cost of razing the shopping mall from MLA Ali, who is mutwalli of Rampur's Hussaini sarai waqf.
"The meeting of the board last night decided to change the mutwallis of 24 more waqf properties," a statement issued today by the administrative officer of the board, Ghulam Sayyadein said.
"The meeting yesterday declared that the shopping mall which came up on the land reserved for Hussaini dharamshala was illegal and decided to raze it," he said.
"It was decided that the demolition cost will be realised from Kazim Ali," he said adding that new mutwallis have been appointed on these 24 and seven other waqf properties, which were vacant.
Meanwhile, Kazim Ali, when contacted, termed the decision of the board as illegal.
"The issue of shopping mall is pending in the High Court and any move to demolish it will be challenged legally," he said.
Jawwad, who is also member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, had been removed from the post of caretaker of three Waqfs, including Sajjadia Kadeem and Jadeed, Imambara Jhaulal, and Rau-e-Sarkar, all in Lucknow.
The spokesman said that a departmental inquiry has also been ordered against Jawwad, in two cases.
