Pune Waqf Board accused of ignoring 250 cases, failing to protect 26,783-acre land
Despite multiple complaints, the board has taken no meaningful action to remove encroachments or protect valuable Waqf land from illegal possession, said members of the Maharashtra Waqf Liberation and Protection Task Force, a Pune-based organisation working on Waqf restoration
The Pune regional office of the Maharashtra State Waqf Board is facing serious allegations of administrative failure and negligence, with over 250 pending cases related to encroachments, land sales, ownership disputes, and wrongful registration of trustees. Activists have accused the board of ignoring these cases while failing to safeguard over 26,783 acres of Waqf land valued at ₹50,000 crores.
Despite multiple complaints, the board has taken no meaningful action to remove encroachments or protect valuable Waqf land from illegal possession, said members of the Maharashtra Waqf Liberation and Protection Task Force, a Pune-based organisation working on Waqf restoration.
The Pune Waqf office is custodian of properties worth thousands of crores, including prime land across the city and surrounding areas. These include 80 acres from More Vidyalaya to ILS Law College in Deccan, 21 acres in Baner, 46.04 acres in Kondhwa, 23 acres in Pimple Nilakh, 40 acres in Phursungi, 33 acres in Devachi Uruli, 60 acres in Lavale, 82 acres in Naigaon Kunjirwadi, 84 acres at Chhota Shaikh Salla Dargah, 60 acres at Qamar Ali Durvesh in Shivapur, 65 acres at Supa Dargah in Baramati, and 65 acres in Saswad. The total landholding includes Inam Class II and III land as per official records.
In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis written last week, the Waqf task force demanded the dissolution of the existing board and the appointment of an IAS officer as administrator. The board is plagued by inefficiency, political interference, and chronic understaffing. It lacks adequate field officers and surveyors to monitor and protect its assets, the letter states.
It further alleges widespread corruption and collusion with encroachers, delays in digitization, and poor coordination with civic bodies, police, and district administration. Many board appointments are symbolic. Legal loopholes, prolonged litigation, and shoddy record-keeping make it almost impossible to reclaim encroached land, the letter adds.
Saleem Mulla, president of the task force and a social activist, said the board’s failure to act has demoralized citizens who had taken up the cause. “There is a complete lack of cooperation from officials. Waqf funds are collected but not utilised. State government funds remain unused, audits are not submitted to the legislature, and vast land assets are left undeveloped,” he said.
Mulla also pointed to the appointment of junior desk officers as chief executive officers (CEOs) instead of qualified cadre-based or IAS officers. “This weakens the leadership and hurts day-to-day functioning,” he said.
Former chief commissioner of income tax and task force convenor Akramul Jabbar Khan said, “The board suffers from mismanagement, poor enforcement against encroachments, and lack of transparency. Digitisation is incomplete and often inaccurate. Administrative apathy has caused a serious erosion of trust. The board is failing in both its constitutional and religious responsibilities.”
When contacted, Pune district Waqf officer Sohel Sayyad said, “We will look into all the issues and come up with necessary resolutions.”
