Anjuman e Imamia, a prime Shia Muslim organisation based in Richmond Town, Bangalore, has been involved in controversies for the past one year. Speaking with our reporter, one of the officials at the State Wakf Board office reiterated that the Board had received multiple complaints against the Anjuman e Imamia President, Syed Zamin Raza.
Different individuals of the Shia Muslim community have brought to light issues of corruption against him.The source also added that the five elected committee members of Anjuman e Imamia, who had resigned protesting against the wrongdoings of the president, had visited the State Wakt Office many times prior to their resignation to reinforce to the Board to take a drastic stand and put an end to Syed Zamin Raza’s misconduct. They also informed the Board that they had no involvement in these litigations.
The official added that earlier the Board, after completing an enquiry, had filed an FIR against Syed Zamin Raza, after he was found guilty of misusing government funds. In another complaint, Syed Zamin Raza, was found guilty of another crime - leasing out Anjuman property inappropriately, after which he was suspended until further orders by the Board. After couple of weeks of suspension, Syed Zamin Raza got relief from the Hon’ble High Court as he was reinstated, but with a warning and strict conditions i.e all his administrative and financial powers were snatched by the Hon’ble High court. As all these complications surrounded the end of Anjuman tenure, the Board decided to appoint an Administrator. The official said “Usually the out-going Anjuman conducts the General Body
Meeting where it presents its past achievements, and writes to the Board to start the process of elections”. This process has been followed religiously all these decades except this year due to disruptions caused by Syed Zamin Raza. Removing Syed Zamin Raza from his position and appointing an Administrator was the need of the hour as he had made the situation of the Anjuman complicated and ruined the reputation of the organisation. Now the appointed Administrator is expected to set the activities of the anjuman lawfully and report to the Board accordingly. To ease things for Administrator the Board has given him 6 months’ time to set things right considering crises surrounding the Anjuman. The official concluded by saying that this is the first instance of a reputed Shia Muslim Anjuman getting into so many legal hurdles on corruption charges.
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