Wakf Board books Madina Group for misappropriation of funds

The AP State Wakf Board has decided to run educational institutions under the Madina Group, by appointing a committee to look after their day-to-day management.

The Wakf Board on Wednesday took over the possession of the Madina Education and Welfare Society (MEWS). The institutions were constructed on Wakf lands. The lands belong to Anjuman Dasti Parcha Bafi Harmain Shareefain. Cases of cheating and misappropriation of funds have been booked by the Board at Abids police station against KM Arifuddin, who is the founder of the group.

On Thursday, the Board lodged another complaint against Arifuddin at Narayanaguda police station for allegedly obstructing public servants and forcibly locking Madina Manzil (Madina Public School) at Himayatnagar.

Shaik Mohammad Iqbal, special officer, said that Arifuddin had locked the school building and put up a notice saying that the school was closed for two days due to various reasons. After coming to know of this, a team of officials, led by the special officer, reached the school and opened the locks. They put up a notice that the school would function as usual.

Iqbal added that the banks which hold the accounts of the Madina Group were requested to freeze the accounts. “We will appoint a committee to monitor day-to-day affairs of the educational institutions,” he said.

Iqbal further said, “It came to our notice that Arifuddin had collected huge amounts as donations from various prominent people to run the institutions for Muslim students. We have asked the Income Tax department to examine his financial transactions.”

The special officer said that the Board was also looking into other educational institutions run by the Madina Group, such as a degree college, an engineering college and a pharmacy college at Moinabad.

“We are examining whether those institutions have been established with the revenue generated from the Wakf property or not. If it establishes that the investment is from the Wakf property, we will also take over the properties.” He reiterated that the staff and students of Madina institutions would not be disturbed.