Ahmedabad: In a major action against encroachment and illegal construction, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) today began demolishing a nine-storey illegal building named Sana 7 in the Jamalpur area. The building, constructed on Waqf Board-managed land, was allegedly part of a multi-crore scam orchestrated by Salimkhan Jummakhan Pathan, who is accused of illegally managing the affairs of the Kachchi Masjid Trust.

The estate department of AMC, along with police and fire personnel, began the demolition under heavy security. The action followed earlier notices and the sealing of the building by the civic body. Salimkhan had allegedly built the structure—comprising eight floors and a penthouse—without the necessary permissions and despite legal notices. He later entered into fraudulent lease agreements, extorted rent from tenants, and submitted false affidavits to the Waqf Board. Shops were also constructed on the Trust’s land, with monthly rent ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹9,000. However, the rent collected was not deposited into the Trust’s account. Instead, he siphoned off the funds and misused land that was originally meant for community welfare.

AMC demolishes 9-storey illegal building linked to Waqf Board scam in Jamalpurhttps://t.co/nYsE2ssaQU pic.twitter.com/M5O5ILobKK

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) July 14, 2025

In 2021, AMC issued a final notice to vacate the building, citing unauthorized construction. A legal battle ensued, but no stay was granted by the court. The structure stood on land belonging to the Gujarat Waqf Board and remains under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

On May 6 this year, the ED conducted raids at multiple properties linked to Salimkhan Pathan, including Sana 7, the Kachchi Masjid Trust, and a farmhouse in Kheda. During the search operations, bank funds worth approximately ₹2 crore were frozen, ₹30 lakh was seized in cash, and cryptocurrency worth ₹7 lakh was also frozen.

Construction of the building began in 2019 and was completed within three years, despite repeated warnings and notices from AMC. With no legal stay in place, authorities proceeded with the demolition. DeshGujarat