Wed Apr 09 13:37:52 UTC 2025: ## Munambam Land Dispute Takes a Turn: Grandchildren Recant Waqf Claim
**Kozhikode, April 9, 2025** – A significant shift has occurred in the ongoing legal battle over a 404-acre property in Munambam, Kerala. The grandchildren of Subaida, daughter of the property’s former owner Siddique Sait, have retracted their claim that the land is Waqf property.
In a statement to the three-member Waqf tribunal on Tuesday, the grandchildren, represented by their advocate, declared the land a gift and therefore ineligible for Waqf status. This contradicts their previous stance and that of Subaida, who supported the family’s initial claim that the land should be taken over by the Kerala State Waqf Board. The board, acting on this earlier claim, had declared the land a Waqf property in 2019.
However, two other children of Siddique Sait maintain their assertion that the land is Waqf property. Meanwhile, Farook College, which claims the land was gifted to it by Siddique Sait, continues to challenge the Waqf Board’s registration of the property. The college argues it holds absolute rights to the land.
The change in the grandchildren’s testimony is expected to bolster Farook College’s case. Additionally, the tribunal approved a request to include approximately 600 Munambam residents currently occupying parts of the disputed land as parties to the proceedings. The Waqf tribunal will now consider all presented arguments to determine the final ownership of the property.
First Piper 