Bareilly Development Authority seals marriage hall, gym owned by close aides of jailed Tauqeer Khan

Bareilly (UP), Oct 9 (PTI) The Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) on Thursday sealed a marriage hall and a gym allegedly owned by close aides of Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan as part of an ongoing drive against illegal properties linked to those accused of involvement in the recent Bareilly violence.

The BDA team sealed SB Garden Marriage Hall, a 3,000-square-metre property in Faridpur Chaudhary belonging to Khan's close associate Mumtaz Ahmad, and a gym spread over 2,000 square metres owned by a man named Tasleem in the presence of a magistrate.

Clashes had broken out on September 26 between police and a large crowd which had gathered outside a mosque in the Kotwali area of Bareilly after Friday prayers over the cancellation of a protest called by Khan on the "I Love Muhammad" poster row.

Khan is currently lodged in Fatehgarh Central Jail.

According to police sources, Mumtaz Ahmad is considered one of the trusted aides of Khan and is alleged to have played a key role in mobilising crowds during the September 26 unrest. He is believed to have been spotted multiple times in video footage of the clashes.

Officials said the marriage hall was constructed without obtaining mandatory approval from the BDA, prompting Thursday's sealing action.

Similarly, the gym owned by Tasleem, who is also suspected of being actively involved in the violence, was built without sanctioned building plans. The property, valued at over Rs 5 crore, was sealed in his absence.

BDA Executive Engineer and Special Officer Ajit Kumar Singh said, "The enforcement team sealed Mumtaz Ahmad's SB Garden Marriage Hall and Tasleem's gym in the presence of district administration and police officials. Such actions will continue against all illegal constructions." Singh further said the operation was conducted under relevant provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973. During the same drive, a shop under construction for commercial use by one Rajveer Singh in the Izzatnagar area was also sealed for violation of the Act.

"Construction or plotting without sanctioned plans is entirely illegal and subject to demolition. Buyers are advised to verify approvals before purchasing any property to avoid legal action or financial loss," the officer added.

The latest action comes amid heightened scrutiny of associates linked to Tauqeer Raza, with police and BDA continuing coordinated crackdowns on illegal properties and suspected offenders tied to the September 26 violence.

So far, 10 FIRs have been registered, naming 125 individuals and over 3,000 unidentified persons. PTI COR CDN KSS KSS