Aligarh, July 1 (IANS) Amid investigation into the alleged embezzlement of funds and donations at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, Bharatiya Samaj Sevak Sangathan (BSSS) President and Chief Mufti Maulana Chaudhary Ifraheem Husain on Wednesday alleged misappropriation of zakat funds from mosques and dargahs and that of Waqf-related donations.

Speaking to IANS, Ifraheem Husain said: “It is true that zakat funds from all Muslim establishments like mosques, madrassas, dargahs, including Haji Ali Dargah and Ajmer Sharif Dargah, have been stolen and that too at a large scale.”

He alleged that around Rs 40,000 crore of zakat funds have been stolen.

“The resources which were meant to be used for the development of poor and needy Muslims have been stolen and using that the rich have bought properties worth thousands of crores,” he claimed.

“The impact of such thefts is being felt by the poor as they are the one who are lagging behind in the society since their needs are not being fulfilled. So, a large section of the Muslim community has weakened due to this theft of zakat funds,” he added.

The Muslim cleric also alleged that around Rs 50,000 crore of Waqf-related donations have been stolen.

“Therefore, due to this stealing of funds, the work towards the development of poor Muslims could not be progressed,” he reiterated.

Citing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s direction for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Ram Temple case, Ifraheem Husain demanded for a similar investigation into the alleged “theft” of zakat funds and Waqf-related donations.

Meanwhile, though crores of money and valuables are reported to have been siphoned off from the Ram Temple, a theft of Rs 79.85 lakh has been documented on record.

The revelations apparently come from the submission of documents before the court by the investigating team.

According to documents in the public domain, a large amount of cash seizures have been made from Lavkush and Anukalp Mishra, while Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav, who emerged as the most talked about face of alleged loot, was caught hiding Rs 1 lakh cash.

–IANS

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