By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Roorkee, 20 Nov: Razia Baig, manager of the renowned Piran Kaliyar Dargah in Haridwar district, has resigned from her post amidst mounting allegations of financial irregularities. In her resignation letter addressed to Haridwar District Magistrate Mayur Dixit, Baig cited personal and family reasons for stepping down from her managerial responsibilities.
The DM has accepted her resignation and has relieved her of duties with immediate effect, transferring oversight of the Dargah’s financial and administrative affairs to the Joint Magistrate, Roorkee.
It may be recalled that Baig had been facing allegations related to mismanagement of the Dargah’s treasury. Her tenure followed a controversial legacy, while her predecessor Mohammad Haroon was caught red-handed by the Vigilance Department while accepting a bribe. In the interim, Accountant Shafiq Ahmed had been entrusted with the role of Acting Manager. Baig, wife of former BJP Minority Morcha District President Bahroz Alam, was appointed Dargah Manager in February 2023 through an administrative order, but her appointment had been met with resistance from the outset.
Soon after assuming charge, Baig issued a directive inviting tenders for shops involved in preparing Niyaz (community langar), which triggered political unrest in Kaliyar. The move drew sharp criticism and led to protests outside the Dargah office by former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, several district MLAs, local representatives, and shopkeepers. Under pressure, Baig was compelled to withdraw what was described as a “Tughlaqi-style edict” and cancel the tender process.
A special investigation conducted by the Uttarakhand Waqf Board unearthed grave financial and administrative lapses. The inquiry revealed that Rs 10.88 lakhs remained unrecovered from two contractors, while a substantial outstanding amount of Rs 2.34 lakhs had not been pursued. The investigating officer had termed this as serious negligence. Additionally, the deposit of over Rs 2 lakhs in cash into the Dargah’s bank accounts was found to be in violation of the Income Tax Act and departmental regulations.
In light of these findings, District Magistrate Mayur Dixit had issued a show-cause notice to Razia Baig and revoked all her financial powers with immediate effect. She was given seven days to respond to the allegations but failed to furnish a reply within the stipulated timeframe. Following the expiry of the deadline, Baig tendered her resignation, bringing her controversial tenure as Dargah Manager to an abrupt end.
