Documents trap shoora satraps

THE DOCUMENTS submitted to the Registrar of Societies and Chits for approval of the new shoora (governing council of a madarsa) has trapped the new office-bearers of the city?s oldest seminary in financial irregularities. In the set of documents, the new team headed by Mohd Ismail Syed Shareef has endorsed the papers pertaining to the annual budget from 1996 to 2005. The last budget approved by the Shareef team is just Rs 29, 896, whereas the annual booklet of the shoora puts the seminary budget at Rs 45 lakh.

THE DOCUMENTS submitted to the Registrar of Societies and Chits for approval of the new shoora (governing council of a madarsa) has trapped the new office-bearers of the city’s oldest seminary in financial irregularities.

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In the set of documents, the new team headed by Mohd Ismail Syed Shareef has endorsed the papers pertaining to the annual budget from 1996 to 2005.

The last budget approved by the Shareef team is just Rs 29, 896, whereas the annual booklet of the shoora puts the seminary budget at Rs 45 lakh. This discrepancy in documents certified by Registrar’s Office explains why the city’s who’s who is desperate to keep the seminary under their control.

The documents that pin down the new managers are two death certificates. A shoora member Mohd Wali Arif died on December 16, 2004 and the death certificate (number 32-1494) was issued by the Kanpur Municipal Corporation.

While another member Habib Ahmed who passed away on October 16, 1997 was issued a death certificate (no 32-1496) by the KMC.

Moreover, the serial number on the death certificate of the person who died in 1997 is 1496, while the one who dies in 2004 is 1494! In mathematics, 1997 precedes 2004 and accordingly 1494 should have come before 1496.

Similarly, a document number 20520 shows that Shareef’s rival voluntarily withdrew himself. This document bears the signature of Taj Khusro, Haji Shaukat Ali and Haji Nasrullah to support its validity.As a result, Shareef was elected mohtamim at a meeting held on February 19, 2003.

In the very next meeting, the persons who withdrew to pave way for Shareef’s election were shown to have been sacked for indiscipline and other irregularities.
All these contradictions, say sources, have also perplexed the Registrar’s Office for it approved the new shoora without crosschecking facts.

On the other hand, those involved in the seminary take-over are desperately trying to get political cover to wriggle out of the mess. They have approached a minister who, in turn, has negotiated with a senior SP leader.