Pune: Waqf Board Issues Show Cause Notice To Dr Anil Ramod For Illegal Sale Of Waqf Properties In Vadhu Budruk

Pune, 18th June 2023: The Maharashtra State Waqf Board has taken significant action by issuing a show cause notice to Dr Anil Ramod, Additional Divisional Commissioner (Pune), in relation to an alleged illegal transaction involving Waqf land estimated to be worth around Rs 100 crore. The notice was sent on May 24, prior to Ramod’s arrest by the CBI in a bribery case, and requested a written response within four weeks.

Dr Ramod was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 9 while accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh to manipulate land-acquisition compensation for farmers affected by highway projects. During searches conducted at Ramod’s official and residential premises in Pune, authorities discovered cash amounting to Rs 6 crore, property-related documents (including 14 immovable properties owned by himself and his family), investment and bank account details, and other incriminating documents.

The show cause notice lists eighteen individuals involved in the illegal transactions of the Waqf land property, which spans approximately 19 acres in Vadu Budruk. The order issued by Shirur Tahsilder on March 20, 2017, declared the land in question as Waqf property and mandated its registration as such in revenue records.

However, Ramod neglected to conduct due diligence and verify the government property records. He subsequently annulled the tahsildar’s order without considering whether it was a Waqf property, disregarding the involvement of the Maharashtra State Board for Waqf (MSBW) and failing to seek the board’s opinion. Ramod proceeded to transfer the Waqf property to private individuals, facilitating an illegal transaction, as stated in the notice.

MB Tashildar, the CEO of the Waqf Board, emphasized in the notice that a response must be provided within four weeks, failing which criminal action under Section 52 (A) will be taken against Dr Ramod by the board.

Following his arrest, Ramod was initially remanded to CBI custody until June 13. Subsequently, the judge ordered his judicial custody until June 27 and kept him at the Yerwada Central Jail.