Nagpur: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Nagpur Police will record statements of key witnesses before the magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPc in the two cases of fraud, cheating and embezzlement of funds by the former office-bearers of Hazrat Baba Tajuddin Trust.
Ex-Chairman Sheikh Hussain Ghantanad, former city president of a political party, along with the erstwhile trust Secretary Iqbal Ismail Velji have been booked in the second case of fraud and forgery registered against them along with six others including gangster Feroze Khan alias Abu and his family members.
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18 April 2025
“Statements would be recorded before the magistrate so that they can’t turn hostile in the future fearing the goons,” said an EOW official. The accused ganged up to embezzle funds to the tune of Rs 1.39 crore. It’s learnt that Hussain, Velji and their accomplices, including gangster Abu and his family members, had forced several encroachers to vacate their houses and shops claiming they were erected illegally on the plots owned by the trust.
With force and coaxing, the occupants were compelled to vacate the places they were occupying on the condition that they would be compensated or rehabilitated. While the occupants were neither rehabilitated nor compensated, their plots were either sold to people close to the then office bearers led by Hussain and Velji.
The EOW has registered one more case of cheating and misappropriation of funds against Congress leader and former Chairman of Baba TajuddinTrust, Sheikh Hussain, along with eight other ex-Trustees, including notorious gangster Abu.
The accused have been identified as Shahjada Ajiz Khan (58), a resident of Motha Tajbagh; Sheikh Hussain Ghantanad (75), a resident of Jagnath Budhwari; Iqbal Ismail Velji (55), a resident of Raj Nagar, Sadar; Sasim Ajiz Khan alias Chhotu Kabadi (40), Jakir Ajiz Khan (42), Iqbal Ajiz Khan alias Igga (45), Amjad Ajiz Khan (42); Firoz Ajiz alias Abdu (52), a resident Motha Tajbagh.
The complaint, filed by Taj Ahmed alias Raja Syed, the Secretary of the Trust, highlights the illicit activities carried out by the accused. Taj Ahmed alleged that the Trust land was sold unlawfully under the guise of compensating individuals residing on the premises. Houses and shops were vacated and subsequently sold to third parties, causing substantial financial losses to both the trust and the affected parties, he stated in his complaint.
Taj Ahmed also alleged that Hussain and Velji misused their positions to facilitate the illicit activities. Under the pretext of providing compensation, the accused, in connivance with Abu’s brother and others, approached Kallubai Saida Begum, Zameen Akhtar Abdul Sattar, Kamruddin Shamsuddin Khan, Shahzad Ramzan Khan, and Ayaz Nisar Ahmed, who resided on the Trust land. They promised to relocate them and provide alternate accommodations, as well as shops.
However, instead of fulfilling their promises, the accused forcefully evicted the residents, demolished their shops and houses, and sold the properties to individuals close to them. The fraudulent activities perpetrated by the accused resulted in a loss of Rs 1.39 crore to both the trust and the affected individuals. Shockingly, it has also come to light that Abu’s family took possession of the Trust land and utilised black money to construct a lavish bungalow. A case under Sections 409, 406, 420, 465, 468, 471, 120 (b) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code was registered by police.
