Prayagraj (UP), Jul 14 The Allahabad High Court has dismissed petitions of various accused in the alleged misappropriation of government funds granted to 313 different madrassas of Azamgarh out of which many allegedly did not even physically exist.
According to the allegations, out of 313 madrassas, 180 did not exist and their managers availed funds under the Madarsa Modernisation Scheme by cheating and forgery. The funds were meant towards payment of honorarium to teachers teaching modern subjects as well as scholarships to minority students.
Besides, information provided on the Madarsa Portal regarding the building, student strength and the like were bogus and non-existent.
A bench comprising Justices J J Munir and V K Dwivedi dismissed the petition filed by Mohd Galib Khan, manager of Madarasa Kaifi Azmi Shikshan Sansthan, Kalvaria, Gahji, Azamgarh and several others seeking quashing of an FIR alleging cheating and forgery by petitioners.
According to facts, on March 16, 2025 an FIR was lodged by Kunwar Brahm Prakash Singh, an officer of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the state CID in the matter under various sections of IPC at Ahraula police station of Azamgarh.
Dismissing the petition, the court observed, "Upon hearing learned Counsel, what we find is that it is hardly in dispute at this stage that the Madarsa established by the petitioner has not been found to be physically existent on the premises it is shown to exist as per particulars uploaded on the Madarsa Portal of Government."
In its order dated July 1, the court further said, "This clearly shows that false documents with an intention to cheat on the basis of bogus papers, have been prepared and even if not technically false documents, the documents are certainly bogus. The intention to cheat is, therefore, evident."
The court said intermittent funds, both by the central and the Uttar Pradesh government are provided to the madrassas towards honorarium of certain teachers and also scholarships, besides other things.
"Investigation is still underway to probe how much funds have been provided to these 180 Madarsa," the court added.
The court, while dismissing the petition, also observed, "More than that, utilising the credentials of a government registered Madarsa, it cannot be ruled out that funds from some spurious sources could be collected, even foreign sources by the petitioner in the name of the Madarsa. These are matters which require thorough investigation.
"It is certainly not a matter where the FIR may be quashed at the threshold."
