Dy CM trying to hush up Wakf land scam: Congress

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee (Minorities Department) chairman Shaik Abdullah Sohail has alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali was trying to hush up the scam of alienation of Chunti Shah mosque land to private parties.

In a statement, Abdullah Sohail said that although the permission for conversion of graveyard into poramboke land was issued in March and pattas were issued in May this year, the State government reacted only after the deal was exposed. He alleged that by announcing the cancellation of 19 pattas issued on the land, the Deputy CM was trying to hush up the entire matter.

Sohail also said that the Revenue Department comes under Mahmood Ali and it would not have issued pattas without his consent.

"Chunti Shah Mosque is located just a few metres away from Mahmood Ali's residence and all his ancestors are buried in the adjacent graveyard. Therefore, it was impossible for the Revenue authorities to keep the minister ignorant on issuing pattas. The Deputy CM, Wakf Board and Revenue Department officials worked in tandem to alienate the Wakf land and now they have reversed the decision after the deal got exposed," he said.

Abdullah Sohail asked as to why the Deputy CM was hesitant to order a high-level probe into the scam. He said Mahmood Ali made a vague statement assuring action against the guilty. He added that all the officials of Revenue Department who issued pattas should have been suspended immediately.

He demanded that the State should take the entire property into Wakf Board's direct management.