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The legal and administrative problems of the family of Mohammad Azam Khan, one of the founding members of Samajwadi Party and former cabinet minister, are increasing continuously. From Rampur to the capital Lucknow, intensive investigation is going on into the properties related to Azam Khan and his close ones. Now another big development has come to light in this sequence, where the Municipal Corporation has taken a tough stance on the luxurious government bungalow allotted to Azam Khan’s sister Nikhat Aflaq in River Bank Colony, which is counted among the most VIP areas of Lucknow. Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has started the legal process to cancel the allotment of this bungalow after closely examining the validity of the allotment, violation of rules and eligibility conditions. This step of the Municipal Corporation is being considered as a big administrative attack on Azam Khan’s family.
There were allegations of irregularities for a long time regarding the allotment of this valuable government house located in River Bank Colony. An internal inquiry conducted by the property department of the Municipal Corporation found that when this luxurious bungalow was allotted in the name of Azam Khan’s sister Nikhat Aflaq, the prescribed administrative rules, guidelines and prescribed eligibility standards were ignored. According to government rules, these bungalows and flats in River Bank Colony are reserved for special category officers, employees or persons authorized under the legal process. The investigating officers have concluded that despite being ineligible due to the influence of the then political influence and position, this property was allotted for the purpose of personal gain.
According to senior officials of Lucknow Municipal Corporation, following the legal procedure in this entire matter, a plan has been prepared to take the property into government possession. A recommendation to cancel the allotment of this bungalow has been sent by the Municipal Corporation to the higher officials. Along with canceling the allotment, there is a preparation to issue a formal eviction notice to the concerned party, in which instructions will be given to vacate the house within the stipulated time limit. If the bungalow is not vacated within the stipulated period, the enforcement squad of the Municipal Corporation will take action to seal the bungalow and take back the possession in the presence of the local police force. Along with this, the property department is also assessing the recovery of outstanding rent or user charges of previous years.
This is not the first time that the administration has seized properties belonging to Azam Khan or his family members. Earlier, an order had been issued to take back hundreds of bighas of government, village society and chakrod lands of Mohammad Ali Johar University located in Rampur. Apart from this, the government has already taken possession of the buildings of Johar Research Institute, Rampur Public School and many other leased properties on the basis of violation of rules. Azam Khan, his wife Tanzin Fatima and former MLA son Abdullah Azam Khan are already facing serious lawsuits and legal challenges in various cases. Now the cancellation of allotment of sister’s bungalow in a posh area of Lucknow shows that the administration’s action against misuse of government properties is not going to stop at any level.
After this strict action of the Municipal Corporation Administration, the stir regarding the allocation of government properties located in other major areas of the capital has also intensified. Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the State Property Department are now busy in going through the list of all those properties which were allotted to the favorites during the previous governments citing political access, recommendation or special provisions. The officials have a clear message that whatever illegal occupation or ineligible allotment of valuable lands, shops and residential complexes located at prime locations of the Municipal Corporation in Lucknow is found, it will be canceled and used for public interest and revenue increase.
