Land worth Rs 2 lakh crore siphoned in Karnataka Wakf scam

Politicians, Wakf board members and the land mafia are among those who are accused of misusing property of around 22,000 acres, worth an estimated Rs 2 lakh crore, which was under the custody by the Wakf board in Karnataka.

The Karnataka Minorities Commission Chairman Anwar Manipaddy submitted a report to Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda yesterday in which he detailed the extent of the land grab which took place from the 54,000 acres that was to be used for the benefit of the economically backward members of the Muslim community.

“I have submitted a report on the alleged Wakf Board land scam running into more than Rs 2 lakh crore to Chief Minister which will be tabled on the floor of the Assembly. Apart from powerful politicians, several Wakf Board members, Wakf officials, middlemen and land mafia have been involved in the scam,” Manipaddy said after submitting his report.

A panel was constituted by the government in November 2011 following complaints and media reports on the role of politicians and Wakf Board officials in the illegal sale of land to individuals.

The Minorities Commission Chairman did not reveal the names of politicians involved in the scam, but it could be revealed soon with the report likely to be tabled in the Karnataka Assembly.

Manipaddy said that as per their estimates between 22,000 to 27,000 acres of registered land had been misused.

“Many middlemen, land mafia and politicians have been involved in the scam…Misappropriation of Wakf land has taken place in city areas rather than in rural areas…About 85 per cent of misappropriation has happened in city areas,” he said.

Among the recommendations made by the committee include setting up a high-power committee to check corruption in  the Wakf Board and appointing a task force to retrieve Wakf properties sold illegally.

According to CNN-IBN, the report has mentioned the involvement of 38 Congress leaders in acquiring land illegally from the Wakf board.

The report submitted to allegedly states that the Wakf board functionaries helped transfer the land to private individuals and institutions over the last 11 years and that a major chunk of the property sold off illegally was in Bangalore, where land rates are highest.

Among the offences the report has pointed out include encroachment on properties, selling them off and registering properties in the names of family members.

with inputs from PTI