Admin probes Waqf land claim at dargah in Sambhal, seals medical clinic

Uttar Pradesh: A team of district officials on Tuesday inspected the premises of the centuries-old Janeta Dargah Sharif in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, amid allegations of illegal land occupation and financial irregularities. The move came after a complaint was filed on the chief minister’s portal, prompting authorities to probe the dargah's legal status and associated activities.

The inspection, conducted by revenue staff from Chandausi tehsil, led to the sealing of an unauthorised medical clinic operating within the dargah complex. According to Tehsildar DP Singh, 40 bighas of encroached land originally belonging to a village pond were freed during the action. The dargah’s boundary was marked with the help of a bulldozer as part of the encroachment removal process.

Officials are also examining whether the dargah stands on Waqf land. While mutawalli (caretaker) Syed Shahid Miyan has claimed that the property is registered under the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, authorities say the supporting documents submitted lack clear evidence. Sub-divisional magistrate Nidhi Patel confirmed that the land is not marked as Waqf property in official revenue records.

The health department, which conducted a simultaneous raid, found expired medicines at the unauthorised medical facility, leading to its immediate closure. Authorities indicated further action may be taken regarding this violation.

The issue has also impacted local religious and cultural events. The annual four-day fair organised by the dargah has been cancelled this year due to the legal uncertainty surrounding the land.

A group of local residents alleged that the land has historically been public property and accused the mutawalli of misusing the site. Shahid Miyan, however, asserted that the dargah has stood on Waqf land for over 300 years and houses a mosque, musafir khana, dawa khana (clinic), and community kitchen. He denied any commercial activity at the premises.

This is the first high-profile Waqf-related land dispute in Uttar Pradesh since amendments to the Waqf Act in 2005. A final report is expected to be submitted to the district magistrate, which could determine the future course of legal action.