MANGALORE: A Technical Valuation Report on the financial dealings and the projects undertaken by the expelled management committee of the Katipalla Jumma Masjid has revealed that there had been much financial irregularities during the tenure of the committee.
The management committee of the Masjid belonging to the Panambur Muslim Jamat had not convened its annual general meeting and had not presented its account statements for several years following which the local Jamaat had complained to the DK District Wakf Board. But when the committee neglected the Board’s directive to hold its AGM, five members of the Jamaat had filed a PIL in the High Court. Following this, the State Wakf Board had sent chartered accountants to the Masjid as per the High Court directive.
The accountants had identified 21 cases of irregularities and had directed the management to reply within 15 days. Another 15 days extension was also given as per the request made by the Committee. But when the answers received from the committee were unsatisfactory, the State Wakf Board had expelled the management committee led by PA Saleem and had appointed BS Husainabba Jokatte, a retired KAS officer as the administrative officer of the masjid
Though the committee tried to pursue threatening tactics even later, it was futile. When the administrative officer went through the financial statement which was finally submitted by the committee, he realized that all was not well and wrote to the Wakf Board to appoint technical evaluers.Accordingly, the Board appointed PB Mohammad Sadiq of PB Associates as the valuer. He, on inspecting the new construction of the masjid and also the financial statement, in his report said much difference has been found between the actual expenses and the records to prove the expenditure of the committee. The payment receipts when inspected revealed that the total cost was Rs 90, 11,713 while as per the valuation it should have been less by at least 14 per cent. As per the report as much as Rs 12,61,631 might have been misused. The report also said there were no official records to prove that a sum of R 17 lakhs had been spent towards some works and also purchases of equipment like fans and generators. The report also said that the same need to be examined.
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