UP: Over 200 fake Madrasas trying to siphon off govt funds busted

Superintendent of Police Hemraj Meena said, "219 cases have been registered in 22 police station areas of the district."

A major fraud involving over 200 madrasas that had been receiving government aid despite being non-existent was recently uncovered in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh. A case has been registered against these institutions, the police said on Sunday.

Initially, 313 madrasas were identified with inconsistencies(HT_PRINT)

The discovery was made following an investigation by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which led to the filing of multiple FIRs against the perpetrators.

“219 cases have been registered in 22 police station areas of the district,” said Superintendent of Police Hemraj Meena.

What triggered these investigations?

The investigation began after discrepancies were found during an online data entry process for the madrasa portal, which flagged irregularities in the documentation.

Initially, 313 madrasas were identified with inconsistencies, but a deeper probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), sparked by a 2017 government complaint, revealed the shocking truth that 219 of these institutions did not exist at all.

"Investigation was done in this case through EOW, in which there was an allegation of government money being siphoned off in the name of madrasas. Government money was received based on forged documents," Meena said.

The first FIR was registered on February 6 at the Kandharapur police station, based on a complaint filed by EOW Inspector Kunwar Brahma Prakash Singh.

Subsequently, other FIRs were registered across the district, including multiple cases at Kotwali, Sidhari, Rani ki Sarai, Mubarakpur, Nizamabad, and other police stations.

"The matter is being investigated, action will be taken based on whatever facts come to light during the investigation," the district police chief added.

Uttarakhand govt demolished over 50 madrasas

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recently took a tough stand against those running illegal madrasas in the name of religion. Within 15 days, more than 52 illegally run madrasas were sealed.

On Monday, on the instructions of CM Dhami, 12 illegal madrasas were sealed in Vikasnagar, Dehradun and nine in Khatima. Earlier, action had been taken against 31 madrasas in various districts, Uttarakhand CMO said in a release.

(With ANI inputs)