Malappuram: Muslim Youth League (MYL) State General Secretary P K Firoz on Saturday once again alleged corruption in the land taken over by the state government for the construction of the Malayalam University. Speaking to the media, Firoz said that as early as 2019, suspicions of corruption had emerged while looking into the ownership of the land.

"The 11-acre plot was owned by Abeeb Rehman, Abdul Jaleel, Mohammad Kasim, Yasir, Abdul Salam, Injas Munavar, Abdul Gaffur, and Mohammad Kasim. He pointed out that Abeeb Rehman, Jamsheed Rafeeq, and Mohammad Kasim are the sons of Minister V Abdurahiman’s brother, while Abdul Gaffur’s brothers include Abdul Jaleel, Abdul Salam, and Jamsheed Rafeeq," Firoz said.  

Firoz alleged that when the state government acquired the land, the MYL had already informed the media that it fell under CRZ-3, a non-development buffer zone ecologically rich with mangroves, where no construction is permitted. However, then Minister of Higher Education, K T Jaleel, had claimed that the 11 acres were taken after excluding mangrove areas and ecologically weak zones. Firoz added that a recent report by a committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Chennai, has now confirmed that almost all of the acquired land indeed falls under CRZ-3 and the non-development zone. He said he would hand over the supporting documents to the media.

KT Jaleel countered the claims, saying that on February 17, 2016, a meeting at the Malappuram District Collector’s chamber decided to purchase land for the University at the rate of ₹1.7 lakh per cent. The owners signed over a total of 17 acres and 21 cents. Following the 2016 elections, the new government reconsidered the deal, stating that 17 acres were excessive and parts of the land were unsuitable for construction. The final rate was fixed at ₹1.6 lakh per cent, but excluded around 6.5 acres as it was unfit for construction, leaving 11 acres and 21 cents for acquisition, Jaleel said. "I became the Higher Education Minister in 2018. Naturally, the final stages of the land deal were during my tenure. These are the facts. There was no corruption or mismanagement in the matter," he added.