The State government on Sunday appeared inclined to order an anti-corruption inquiry into the accusation that Muslim Youth League (MYL) leaders had defrauded donators to a fundraising effort to prosecute those responsible for the rape and murder of an eight-year Muslim girl at Kathua in Kashmir in 2018.
Minister for Welfare of Minorities, Waqf and Haj, K.T. Jaleel, told The Hindu that MYL leaders had collected the fund during Friday prayers. However, the money was not used for the stated purpose.
He said former MYL national committee member Yusuf Padanilam would petition Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the “fraud”. He would also petition the Director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, and Enforcement Directorate.
The accusation was that MYL leaders had conspired to cheat contributors by promising that they would use the money for succouring families of Kathua and Unnao (Uttar Pradesh) rape-murder victims and giving them legal aid. MYL State general secretary P.K. Firoz and national general secretary C.K. Subar are among the respondents in the case.
Lawyer’s stance
The MYL has denied the charges vehemently. It said the party had spent nearly ₹10 lakh on the legal fee. However, lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, who appeared for the victim’s family in the Kathua murder, had said in a televised interview that she had received no payment, was unaware of the fund collection, and fought the case for free. The government is likely to order a preliminary Vigilance inquiry into the accusation.
