KAS officer allots shop to wife in Jammu

CM’s year against corruption begins with a breach in Jammu Wakf

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Apr 2: A middle rung officer of Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) has created history by getting a commercial property of Auqaf-e-Islamia Jammu (AIJ) allotted to his wife in total violation of norms. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jammu & Kashmir State Wakf Council (SWC), Javed Iqbal Balwan, who is also functioning as Special Officer of Auqaf in Jammu & Kashmir, has later confirmed the allotment of the shop at Talab Khatikan in favour of his better-half, Chaman Ara, without any fear of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s declaration of 2011 as the “year against corruption”.

Months after an Executive Officer of a Municipal Committee in Baramulla district has recruited his own wife on a substantive post in an unprecedented violation of rules and norms, CEO of SWC, Javed Iqbal Balwan, with endorsement of other members and Chairman, has confirmed allotment of a Wakf property in favour of his own wife, Chaman Ara. Documents in possession of Early Times are clear that there was a word of recommendation from Minister incharge Haj and Auqaf and Chairman of SWC but a formal allotment under rules, that required the Council’s confirmation, was never issued.

Administrator AIJ, Raj Mohammad Malik, and CEO of SWC and Special Officer of Auqaf, J&K, Javed Iqbal Balwan, still incorporated confirmation of an “allotment” in favour of Chaman Ara in the agenda of SWC’s 11^th meeting that took place at Engineering Meeting Hall, Gandhi Nagar, on January 27^th, 2011. “The Council also confirmed the allotment of shop No: 09 situated at Talab Khatikan, Jammu, in favour of Smt Chaman Ara”, minutes of the meeting read.

While as CEO Javed Balwan happens to be the member-secretary of SWC, others who attended the meeting as members included Secretary Revenue, Ejaz Iqbal, Mufti Mohammad Bashiruddin, retired Secretary to Government, A G Shahbaz, DC Rajouri, G A Khwaja, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s brother, Ghulam Mustafa Bhat, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Advocate Shah Mohammad Chowdhary, MLC of National Conference, Mohammad Yousuf Taing, MLC of Congress Ali Mohammad Bhat, MLA of Congress Abdul Majeed Wani, A R Hanjura, Abdul Majeed Khateeb and Pir Bashir Ahmed Muttawali of Aasaar-e-Sharief Pinjora, Shopian. Minister incharge Haj and Auqaf presided over the Meeting as Chairman of SWC.

Jammu Wakf had got a building constructed by Jammu Municipal Corporation for the purpose of rehabilitating house owners and shopkeepers whose properties were to be demolished for expansion and beautification plan of Masjid Khatikaan and widening of a road from Taj Hotel to DC office. Like all other properties, including newly constructed Haj House at Rail Head, all the shops were supposed to be put to general auction and allotted subsequently on payment of the premium on lease. However, the property at Khatikan was neither advertised for competitive bids like Haj House shops nor put to auction. Insiders insist that almost all the shops were clandestinely allotted to favourites.

 Records are clear that Smt Chaman Ara was not owner of any property under alignment of the expansion. According to informed sources, as soon as her husband was posted as CEO and Special Officer of Auqaf, she submitted an application for allotment of a shop at Khatikan to the Chairman/ MoS Haj & Auqaf who, as per a routine, recommended her case to Administrator. Even before a premium was fixed and a tentative allotment was issued, her husband literally used his good offices and succeeded in getting the “allotment” confirmed. He was present in the meeting as Member-Secretary of SWC, the highest decision making body.

Even as Minister incharge Haj & Auqaf, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, was not reachable on telephone, Mr Javed Iqbal Balwan confirmed that Chaman Ara was his wife and a shop had been allotted to her with “subsequent confirmation” of SWC during his tenure as CEO of SWC and Special Officer of Auqaf. He said that all participants of the meeting were aware of the fact that his wife was an applicant and contender for allotment of shop No: 09 at Khatikaan Talab. He, however, clarified that the lease deed was yet to be executed by the competent authority (Commissioner-Secretary Revenue Ejaz Iqabl) though premium of Rs 1.00 Lakh had been fixed for it and other adjoining shops.

Mr Balwan admitted that Chaman Ara was not one among the people affected by the expansion plan but claimed that the shop was allotted to her after all the applicants were rehabilitated. However, Early Times learned that several representations in objection of the applicants were summarily dismissed by the SWC meeting and the “allotments” were confirmed. “State Wakf Council is the supreme authority whose decisions can not be challenged even in court. It has confirmed the allotment and it is valid”, Mr Balwan said in defence of the SWC action in favour of his wife.

Administrator of AIJ, Raj Mohammad Malik, said that none of the participants objected to the allotment. “I personally wanted members to object ton it but none of them did”, Mr Malik said. He sought to, however, make it clear that SWC had “confirmed the allotment” and the premium of Rs 1.00 Lakh had also been fixed but the possession was yet to be given to CEO’s wife. He said that all other properties had been properly put to general auction and premium of upto Rs 17 Lakh stood offered for each shop at Haj House. Residents at Khatikaan said that anyone of them was ready to deposit premium of Rs 5 to 7 Lakh for the shop allotted to CEO’s wife for just Rs 1.00 Lakh.

END