The High Court on Monday ordered notices to the State government and 11 people, including former minister A M Hindasgeri, in connection with a petition filed challenging the government’s refusal to accord sanction by a competent authority to prosecute the accused in the Wakf Board property scam case.
Justice A S Bopanna passed the order on a petition filed by Karnataka Muslim Sangharsh Samithi challenging the government’s refusal to accord sanction of prosecution to former Wakf Board chairman Abdul Riyaz Khan and others who were allegedly involved in a land deal. The forum, in the petition, claimed that the board is facing allegation that it has sold two acres of its land at Annipura village (presently Lalbagh) to one Pista Bai, successor of one Bharilal for `1 crore. However, the market price of the land is around Rs 66 crore, it said. The government had ordered CID inquiry into the matter on December 5, 2008. The CID had confirmed the irregularities. The petitioners submitted that later, the HC had directed the State government to take action.