Karnataka Wakf Board Land Scam

The Karnataka Wakf Board Land Scam concerns the alleged misappropriation of inr 2000000000000 in Indian property funds, made public by a report submitted by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission in 2012.

In March 2012, Anwar Manippady, the Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission submitted a report to the chief minister of Karnataka state, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, which alleged that 27,000 acres of land controlled by the Karnataka Wakf Board had either been misappropriated or allocated illegally. The value of the land has been estimated at Rs. 2 trillion (short scale) (US$39 billion).

The Karnataka Wakf Board is a Muslim charitable trust that manages and oversees property that have been donated for use by the poor. The report commissioned by Manippady alleges that the Karnataka Wakf Board had allowed almost 50% of its land to be misappropriated by politicians and board members, in collusion with the real estate mafia for a fraction of its market value.

Manippady has recommended that the government establish a committee to investigate corrupt activities on the Wakf Board and appoint a task force to recover properties that have been illegally sold by the Wakf Board. The Income Tax Department has already initiated a probe into this.