Hyderabad: A fresh writ petition has been filed in the Telangana High Court, raising concerns about rigging in the tender process of Dargah Hazrat Syed Jahangir Peeran. The petition alleges violations of waqf rules and asserts that the tender was obtained through political interference and influence. The bench of Justice S. Nanda has decided to accept the writ petition, with the secretary of the minority welfare department, the chief executive officer of the Telangana State Waqf Board, and the contractor being named as parties.
The petition claims that there has been extensive rigging in the tender process related to the hundi and other matters of Dargah Hazrat Jahangir Peeran. It further alleges that political influence was used to secure the tender, which is a clear violation of waqf laws and constitutional principles. Farhan Azam Khan, Advocate on behalf of the Waqf Board, informed the court that there is a pending writ petition related to Dargah Hazrat Jahangir Peeran. However, the counsel for the petitioner, M.A. Shakeel and Syed Hussain, stated that they are not associated with the pending writ petition but are representing the Waqf Board. They approached the court to address the violation of guidelines and sought the immediate cancellation of the tender.
Justice S. Nanda accepted the petition highlighting the violation of rules and guidelines in the tender process of the dargah. The court also expressed concern about the awarding of tenders without bidders due to political influence. The petition is scheduled to be presented along with the pending writ petition on June 7.
In the Waqf Board’s notification issued on January 11, 2023, the fixed amount for the Dargah Hazrat Jahangir Peeran tender was Rs 2.80 crore for one year. However, the Waqf Board awarded the tender to a person named Syed Faizuddin for Rs 1.46 crore, despite the minimum tender amount being Rs 2.80 crore. The discrepancy in the amount was recorded.
Previously, the court had directed the addition of a certain amount to the issued work based on another writ petition. Additionally, the petitioner had sought to withdraw the writ, but the court rejected the request and warned of imposing a fine.
Following the irregularities and corruption surrounding the tender of Dargah Hazrat Jahangir Peeran, there are plans to file a new writ petition soon, addressing the ongoing rigging in all the Dargahs under the direct administration of the Waqf Board. This aims to expose and rectify the irregularities in the hundi cases of the Dargahs through legal means. Sources indicate the involvement of employees serving in the Chief Minister’s Camp Office, alongside the Waqf Board, in the tender of Dargah Hazrat Jahangir Peeran.
Justice S. Nanda has attached writ petition no. 13781/2023 with the pending writ petition and scheduled a hearing for June 7. The court will further examine the allegations and seek resolution in this matter.
