What is the Delhi Waqf Board corruption case? (IANS Explainer)

New Delhi, Sep 22 Member of Legislative Assembly from Delhi's Okhla constituency Amanatullah Khan was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Branch on September 16 in a case pertaining to alleged financial misappropriation and other irregularities in the functioning of Delhi Waqf Board.

Like always, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, blamed their staunch opponent Bharatiya Janata Party for targeting its leaders and linked the police action to the upcoming polls in Gujarat. Similarly the BJP launched a scathing attack and demanded that the accused MLA shall be immediately sacked.

However, keeping aside the political mudslinging, what were the financial irregularities that ultimately led to the Okhla MLA's arrest?

According to the top Anti-Corruption Branch sources, the first FIR into the case was registered in January 2020 under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act read with section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code. Later section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act as well as section 409 of the IPC were added into the case.

During the investigation of the case with regard to tenancy of Waqf properties, one person came forward to make the statement. The witness told the ACB that during the year 2021, he had submitted his bid for a Waqf board shop at Fatehpuri Masjid. His bid was declared to be the highest for Rs 30,000 and he was called to the Delhi Waqf Board office to complete the formalities.

"He was asked to pay a sum of Rs 10 lakhs, to which he objected and was directed to withdraw himself from the bidding process. Amanatullah Khan accepted the bid of another bidder who had quoted a much lesser sum of Rs 19,000 only. Thus, a financial loss has been caused to the exchequer of Delhi Waqf Board," as informed by the Investigative Officer of the case to the Court.

The ACB was even able to get a statement from a female employee of the Delhi Waqf Board, who told them that the files relating to the Waqf Assets Management System of India