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Red Fort blast: Al-Falah University faces scrutiny for wrong info, car on campus
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) issued a showcause to Al-Falah University as its website displayed accreditation status despite expiry
In focus after multiple doctors or teachers at its medical college were found linked to the blast near Delhi's Red Fort, Al-Falah University in Faridabad is now under scrutiny for wrong information about its courses on its website too.
Live Updates: Know latest on probe into the Red Fort blast
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has issued a show-cause notice to the private university, for displaying NAAC status for two of its colleges despite the status having expired. The quality certification body, in its notice on Thursday, sought a reply within seven days.
The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) also on Thursday suspended membership of Al-Falah University. The AIU provides a forum for common concerns, but said it requires members to “remain in good standing”.
Also read | Who are the six doctors in the police net over the Red Fort blast case so far?
The NAAC notice said Al-Falah School of Engineering and Technology, was given Grade A from March 2013 to March 2018, and the Department of Teacher Education at Al-Falah School of Education and Training was also given Grade A, from March 2011 to March 2016.
"Both of the above Colleges' accreditation statuses have expired. Both of the above Colleges have not yet volunteered for the Cycle-2 Assessment and Accreditation (A&A) process of NAAC," the accreditation body said in the notice.
It called the university's claim on its website “absolutely wrong and misleading the public, especially the parents, students and stakeholders”.
Also read | NIA, J&K Police raid Al-Falah college; four doctors under lens
The notice sought a reply to why action, including legal, not be initiated against the university. It said the NAAC could recommend to the Haryana government to take action too.
“Why should the University not be disqualified for future consideration for Assessment and Accreditation (A&A) by NAAC? Why should the NAAC not recommend to the UGC to withdraw the Al-Falah University's recognition under section 2(f) and 12B of the UGC?”
The notice asked why the NAAC should not recommend to bodies such as the National Medical Commission, the National Council for Teacher Education, and the All India Council for Technical Education to take action as well.
As per NAAC notice, the university website said, "Al-Falah University is an endeavour of Al-Falah Charitable Trust, which has been running three colleges on the campus, namely Al-Falah School of Engineering and Technology (since 1997, Graded A by NAAC), Brown Hill College of Engineering and Technology (since 2008), and Al-Falah School of Education and Training (since 2006, Graded A by NAAC)."
The university made headlines after it was revealed that Dr Umar Un Nabi, the Kashmir native who was driving the car that exploded near the historic Red Fort and died in it, used to work and live at the Al-Falah Medical College.
Barely a day before the November 10 Red Fort blast that killed at least 10 people, another Kashmiri doctor, Dr Muzammil Shakil from the same college, was arrested for stockpiling explosives and planning terror strikes.
Al-Falah University has distanced itself from Dr Umar and Dr Muzammil, and other arrested for or linked with the terror plot; it has said the university has no connection with them apart from them working in their official capacities. Meanwhile, officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also visited the campus in Dhauj, Faridabad, as part of the probe on Wednesday.
On Thursday, a suspicious Maruti Brezza car was found on the campus. It is currently under investigation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, said Faridabad Police, as per news agency ANI. Multiple residents of Jammu and Kashmir have been arrested for allegedly being part of a terror module.
Fresh CCTV footage has also surfaced showing Dr Umar Un Nabi entering the national capital through the Badarpur border in a Hyundai i20 car, which eventually exploded.
Security agencies have also recovered the diaries of the Delhi blast case accused Dr Umar and Dr Muzammil, which mention the dates November 8 to 12, indicating that the planning was underway for such an incident during that period, news agency ANI said citing sources.
