Congress seeks CBI probe into Waqf Board hiring

New Delhi: The Delhi Congress on Monday alleged "irregularities and nepotism" in contractual appointments to various posts of the Delhi Waqf Board and demanded a CBI probe into it.

Seven "close relatives" of Waqf Board chairman Amanatullah Khan were among the candidates appointed to the 33 posts advertised in February, alleged Delhi Congress spokespersons Jitender Kochar and Harnam Singh, and party leader Parvez Alam.

Khan, an AAP MLA from Okhla, rejected the charge, saying he was filling the vacancies which had been pending for a long time and hampering the functioning of the Waqf Board. "Such people who are involved in corruption are being removed from the Waqf Board and recruitment is being done as per rule," he said.

In a joint statement, the Congress leaders alleged, "There were irregularities, corruption and nepotism in appointments on the posts of the Delhi Waqf Board by its chairman Amanatullah Khan."

The 33 vacancies were advertised in newspapers on February 26 in the Delhi Waqf Board and interviews were held on March 1-2, they said. The results were announced on March 6 and the selected candidates were asked to join the very next day, the Congress leaders alleged. "The selected 33 candidates included seven close relatives of the chairman," they charged.

The Congress leaders demanded that a CBI inquiry be held into the appointments. They said that in order to hold a free and fair inquiry, Khan should resign or be removed from the post of the Waqf Board chairman.

A CBI enquiry is already pending against Khan in connection with the appointments made by him in the Waqf Board during his earlier tenure in 2016. The appointments were made null and void by then Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung, they stated.