Remove MLA Amanatullah Khan as Delhi Waqf Board Chairman: ACB writes to L-G Secretariat

The Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Wednesday sought the removal of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan from the post of Delhi Waqf Board Chairman. In a letter to Lieutenant Governor Secretariat SK Gautam, the ACB claimed that Khan's “criminal and bullying nature” was “preventing witnesses to speak against him” and thus preventing a fair investigation in a corruption case against the leader.

In the letter, the Special Commissioner of Police (ACB) said that the witnesses in the case were afraid of the Aam Aadmi Party legislator due to his "aggressive behavior" and his position in the Delhi Waqf Board.

“People are afraid of Amanatullah Khan because of his bullying nature and past record which is preventing witnesses to make statements against him freely and fairly. Therefore, fair investigation can't be conducted in this case as long as Amanatullah Khan continues to hold the office of Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board,” the letter read.

The ACB sought Khan’s removal from the post till the conclusion of the investigation in the case which pertains to 'financial bungling' in the bank accounts of Waqf Board, creation of tenancy in Waqf Board properties, 'corruption' in the purchase of vehicles, and 'illegal appointment' of 33 personnel in Waqf Board in violation of the service rules, among others. A case in this regard was registered by the agency in January 2020 u/s 7 of PC Act and section 120 B of IPC against the AAP leader.

L-G gives prosecution sanction to CBI against Amanatullah Khan

In July this year, Lt Governor VK Saxena granted CBI the sanction to prosecute Amanatullah Khan in the corruption case against him. The Central Bureau of Investigation had conducted investigations against Khan that revealed "sufficient prosecutable evidence" and it moved a request for prosecution to the L-G. 

The CBI following its investigation stated that Khan, in connivance with former Waqf Board CEO Mehboob Aalam, 'abused his official position and deliberately ignored rules and laid down procedures to cause huge losses to the government exchequer by arbitrarily appointing individuals by manipulating recruitment procedures to favour chosen individuals over thousands of deserving people who could have got employed, had the process of appointment been transparent and impartial.' The agency alleged that Khan bypassed the 'basic principle of the right to equality and opportunity to provide undeserving and unauthorized benefits to specific pre-identified persons.'