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Embezzlement of madrasa fund in Azamgarh: Allahabad HC rejects petition seeking quashing of SIT’s FIR
Appearing on behalf of the state government, additional advocate general Vinod Kumar Shahi opposed the petition
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Friday rejected a petition seeking quashing of an FIR lodged by the special investigation team (SIT) and stop proceedings thereafter in a case related with embezzlement of government funds for non-existent 39 madrasas in Azamgarh district.
Rejecting the petition, a single judge bench of Justice Rajeev Singh observed: “It cannot be said that the FIR does not disclose the commission of offences.” “There is an allegation that 39 madrasas are not in existence and funds for modernization were released by the officials and their records are also not available. Therefore, it cannot be said that no offence is made out,” the court said.
Appearing on behalf of the state government, additional advocate general Vinod Kumar Shahi opposed the petition. “In the SIT probe, it was found that 313 madrasas in Azamgarh were running against prescribed norms and 39 were non-existing,” Shahi apprised the court.
He added that documents of madrasas related with recognition by the state government and other such important papers were not traceable. “Funds received for modernisation of madrasas were embezzled and it is a matter of investigation,” Shahi said.
The state government had ordered an SIT probe after gross embezzlement of funds by madrasas in Azamgarh district came to light. In the probe, it also came to light that despite the fact that 39 madrasas were non-existent and funds in their name were released by officials concerned. After a probe, the SIT had lodged an FIR on November 30, 2022 and thereafter the state government had taken action.
