Wakf Board successful in protecting Gutla Begumpet wakf land, SC rejects private claim

Hyderabad: Telangana State Wakf Board got a grand success when Supreme Court of India did not accept the ownership claim of 90 acres of prime land of Gutla Begumpet Eidgah. Division Bench of Supreme Court consisting of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalith directed the Telangana State Wakf Board to issue a new notification for the Wakf land of Gutla Begumpet Eidgah. The judges also permitted the petitioners who had claimed ownership on this land to prefer their claim afresh. It is not easy to challenge the notification of Wakf Board.

It may be mentioned that the ownership case of 90 acres and 11 guntas land of Gutla Begumpet has been pending in the court since 1995. Hyderabad High Court had pronounced judgment in favour of the petitioner who had claimed ownership on this land contending that it is not a wakf land.

Telangana State Wakf Board and Archdiocese Society had filed separate applications in Supreme Court. In the recent judgment, the division bench of Supreme Court made it clear that High Court has no jurisdiction to review the title of the ownership of land. It therefore set aside the judgment of Hyderabad High Court. However, the Supreme Court allowed both the parties to prefer their claims of ownership as per rules.

This judgment of the Supreme Court is being viewed as an important success for the protection of valuable Wakf land of Gutla Begumpet.

Mr. Mohammed Asadullah, CEO of Wakf Board took special interest in this case. He has been in contact with the lawyers from time to time and furnished the relevant documents. Wakf Board has decided to get legal opinion on the judgment pronounced by Supreme Court so that the release of notification could be ensured.

It will not be easier for those who claim Wakf properties as their own to challenge Wakf Board notification.

The lawyers of Wakf Board opined that Supreme Court has maintained the claim of ownership of Wakf Board on this property and the claim of the petitioners has been set aside by cancelling the judgment pronounced by Hyderabad High Court.

It may be mentioned that the case pertaining to the ownership of Wakf land belonging to Dargah Hazrat Husain Shah Wali will be heard next month in Supreme Court. Telangana State Wakf Board has produced all the required documents and expects that the judgment of the Supreme Court would be in favour of State Wakf Board.

It may not be out of place to mention that the hearing of the case of Wakf land belonging to Dargah Hazrat Husain Shah Wali in Manikonda admeasuring 1654 acre and 32 guntas will come up in Supreme Court next month. Out of this land, 807 acre has been allotted to Lanco Hills and other private companies.

CM of Telangana State, Mr. KCR had made an announcement on the floor of the Assembly that 800 acres of open land would be given to State Wakf Board.

Mr. Syed Omer Jaleel, IAS, Secretary, Dept. of Minorities Welfare termed this judgment of Supreme Court as an important success for Wakf Board and hoped that all other wakf properties would be settled in courts likewise.

–Siasat News