Authorities were due to resume the process for sealing a building in Chennai on Friday as the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) has been using for its activities even as it was meant to run a lungi unit. They had taken police protection to seal the building on Wednesday but the operation was suspended after TNTJ protested saying it was not served any notice.
TNTJ, an Islamic organisation founded in 2004, said they have been paying Rs4 lakh rent annually for 12 years to the government-appointed custodian of the property.
The Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), which is empowered to appropriate properties of Pakistani nationals in India, took over the building after its owner, Tuba Khaleeli, settled in Pakistan in the 1960s.
I Ansari, the group’s state secretary, said TNTJ’s former general sectary R Rehamatullah runs a wholesale lungi business from the building. “…social welfare activities of TNTJ have also been on-going for 12 years. All the rental bills are in his name and we have been ready to purchase this after the 2017 amendment (to the Enemy Property Act, 1968). So how can they suddenly come to seal the building with no notice or prior information? We are readying our legal recourse.”
A CEPI official said issuing notices is not part of their procedures. “They [TNTJ] asked for two days… we agreed and that will serve as the notice period. Following that we will seal the building because they have violated the rules.”
The Centre in January last year formed a panel to monitor the sale of enemy properties.
