Facing charges of corruption, Amantullah Khan resigns from Delhi Wafq Board chairman’s post

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Two-days after the Anti-Corruption Branch raided the Delhi Waqf Board office, AAP MLA Amantullah Khan today resigned as its chairman claiming that he was being “framed in false cases”.

The Okhla legislator, who was also a member of the State Haj Committee, sent his resignation letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

His resignation came two days after the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government raided the Delhi Waqf Board office in Delhi in connection with an alleged recruitment scam involving Khan.

In his letter, Khan stated that he has “run out of patience” of issuing clarifications to the public pleading innocence over a number of allegations levelled against him and his family members.

“Some people dislike my honesty and service and false allegations are being levelled against me and my family to frame us. I want to be free from all the responsibilities given to me by the government and therefore I tender my resignation from all the posts,” Khan said.

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly yesterday, Khan defended himself saying he had made the “contractual” recruitments following due procedures. Waqf Board was reeling under shortage of staff which necessitated the appointments, he said.

The ACB had sent a letter to the Waqf Board last week seeking details including recruitment in 2016, on a complaint by Mohammad Mustafa.

The complaint by Mustafa alleged that Khan had “illegally appointed” several persons including “his friends and relatives” on different posts in the Waqf Board, said the ACB officer.

Khan said that the recruitment’s on 20-22 posts under question were held on contract basis by a specially constituted committee for the purpose.

“A recruitment committee was formed which interviewed candidates and appointments were done on contract basis. The posts were advertised beforehand in newspapers. There is no irregularity as alleged,” Khan said.

He alleged that ACB is targeting him on the “behest of Lt Governor” for raising “scams” by previous chairmen of Delhi Waqf Board under Sheila Dikshit regime.

“I say there is a very big scam in Delhi Government which happened during the tenure of previous chairmen in Sheila Dikshit regime. I demand the LG who is getting me probed to also direct the agency to probe our complaints against former chairmen Haroon Yusuf and Mateen Ahmad,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)

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