Following the unearthing of scam in the A.P. State Minorities Finance Corporation (APSMFC), the government has decided to probe the affairs of the other minority institutions such as the Wakf Board and the Urdu Academy. Minorities Welfare Minister, Syed Ahmedullah, has asked the Secretary, M. Dana Kishore, to closely monitor the functioning of these departments.
Employees working in the Haj House, which is home to several minority departments, are shaken by the developments in the last two days and the Minister’s instructions has only added to their anxiety.
Speaking to presspersons here on Saturday, Mr. Ahmedullah said the next course of action in the APSMFC case would be chalked out after consultation with the Chief Minister. If found guilty appropriate action would be initiated against Ilyas Rizvi, former managing director, APSMFC, on the basis of the CID report. Mr. Rizvi, who created a scene trying to flee the Haj House on Friday, tried in vain to meet the Minister at Secretariat to explain his position. But Mr. Ahmedullah refused to give him an audience.
To a question, Mr. Ahmeduallh said there was no need for him to resign as he had no role in the fraud.
“I am pained to know about the racket involving the money of poor minority students”, he remarked.
To another question, he said he had no idea why the corporation chose to deposit the money in Vijaya Bank.
Meanwhile, C. Praveen Baig, Joint Secretary, Minorities Welfare, took additional charge as Vice-Chairperson and Managing Director of APSMFC on Saturday.
In the place of the suspended account officer, Shaikh Ahmed Ali, the government posted an account officer of A.P. State Christian Finance Corporation.
With the Principal Secretary, Social Welfare, Raymond Peter, scheduled to review the scholarship issue at a video conference on Monday, officials at the APSMFC were busy preparing for it.
Kiran’s nod
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday approved the suspension of Md. Ilyas Rizvi, former Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh State Minorities Finance Corporation. According to an official press release, the Chief Minister had earlier transferred Mr. Ilyas from the post for dereliction of duties in supervising the corporation and misappropriation of funds.
There were reports on Saturday night that the MD of APSMFC Ilyas Rizvi had been suspended. However, the news has not received official confirmation.
