Wakf board chairman Siraj Paracha, in letters to Delhi Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor and Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, said corruption and other irregularities had been rampant in the board in the past. This needed to be probed by the CBI. He said ``most of the wakf properties have been encroached upon by the parties in connivance with the officials, members and the chairmen of the boards in the past. Similarly, a large number of prime properties were leased out on nominal rates against all rules, regulations and mandatory approvals''.

The board, ever since its inception, has ``utterly failed to preserve and maintain the properties. The purpose of the board was to manage, maintain and improve all properties dedicated to the wakf by scores of donors, he added.The wakf board chairman said a glaring example of corruption could be seen in the case of Sonburj in Mehrauli, which was occupied by an antique dealer.

He alleged that a former official of the board in connivance with some members of the previous board embezzled Rs 17.12 lakh and caused heavy financial loss to the wakf board. Many court cases have also been lost on account of non-production of important documents and records on the pretext that these were not available.

But the very same papers were later found in cupboards. This shows connivance of the staff of the board with the land mafia, he added. Paracha claimed that some 275 important files regarding prime properties in the capital were removed from the record room. Later these files were recovered during search operations conducted by sub-divisional magistrate of Daryaganj in 1996.