The Jama Masjid trustees are meeting on October 16 to decide their next course of action after the Maharashtra State Waqf Tribunal in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar stayed the expulsion of textile businessman Shuaib Khateeb from the mosque’s trusteeship.
The tribunal also restrained the trust from electing a new trustee to replace him until the matter is resolved.
Khateeb Challenges Expulsion
Khateeb had challenged his expulsion through a resolution passed on September 28, followed by a notice informing him that he had been removed from the trust managing the city’s historic mosque, whose construction began in 1775 CE.
On October 14, Adil Khan, chairman of the Maharashtra State Waqf Tribunal, while hearing Khateeb’s plea to quash the expulsion order, passed a stay order, allowing him to continue exercising his role as trustee until the next hearing scheduled for November 6.
Dispute Over Alleged Confession
Khateeb has claimed that his expulsion was illegal and based on a confession he allegedly made on August 31, which he denies ever giving.
Najeeb Tungekar, manager of Jama Masjid, refuted these claims, stating that the expulsion followed the trust’s founding scheme for management. He declined to disclose the specific charges against Khateeb but added, “The board of trustees will take a decision and I will follow the orders. We will talk about the case after the conclusion of the meeting.”
