AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's appointment as Delhi Wakf Board chairman challenged in SC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Delhi government on a petition challenging the appointment of controversial Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan as chairperson of

Delhi Wakf Board

on the grounds of alleged corruption and irregularities committed by him during his previous tenure.


The apex court was hearing an appeal filed against the November 16, 2018 order of the Delhi high court which had said that any relief under the Delhi Wakf Rules could be sought by approaching the tribunal.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sasnjiv Khanna also issued notices to Khan and Delhi Wakf Board to respond to the petition challenging the high court order and the allegations raised in it.

The petition filed by Mohd Irshad, a north Delhi resident, alleged that during the previous tenure of Khan from March 12, 2016 to October 7, 2016 as the member and chairperson of the Delhi Wakf board, there were allegations of massive corruption, irregularities and illegalities against him.

He submitted that due to alleged illegalities committed by Khan, two members of the board had tendered resignation to the lieutenant governor on October 5, 2016.

Later, the L-G by an order of October 7, 2016 had revoked the March 11, 2016 order by which the board was reconstituted.

Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva submitted that the controversial

AAP

MLA was appointed as the member and chairperson of the Delhi Wakf Board in violation of the principle of 'impeccable integrity and institutional integrity' laid down by the apex court.

The petitioner submitted that on the findings of a three-member committee set up to review the legality and propriety of all actions taken by Khan as the board's chairman, the CBI had registered a complaint against him under Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120B of the Indian penal code for conspiracy.

"Appointment of such a person with tainted and dubious character as chairperson of a pious and religious body like the Delhi Wakf Board is in gross violation of all sorts of propriety and impinges Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution which inter alia provides the people of India the right to live in a corruption and criminal free society," the petition said.