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Azam Campus, Pune’s Muslim institute, is in turmoil
The issue related to constitution of MCES started when 400 newly inducted members directly replaced the original members, which allegedly violated the constitution of MCES
Azam Campus, a cluster of 18 educational institutes, housing at least 20,000 students, run by the Maharashtra Cosmopolitan and Education Society (MCES) has been facing a clash between Anwar Bagban, member of MCES and Peerpasha Hussaini Abdul Razak Inamdar (popularly known as PA Inamdar), president of MCES, and 13 other trustees regarding a case of cheating and forgery. The dispute has now become a matter of police and court cases.
Along with PA Inamdar , his wife Abeda Inamdar, Sayed Ali Raza Abdul Razzak Inamdar and Sayed Bakar Hussain Abdul Razzak Inamdar, brothers have also been accused.
The complaint was lodged by Anwar Gulamhussain Bagban, 64, a resident of Kondhwa who claims to have been a member of the education society which was set up in 1948.
Bagban claimed that Inamdar and others destroyed the original list of members and drew up another list after dismissing 400 members from society.
Bagban, who is also an RTI activist has demanded investigations as per section 156 (3) of Criminal Procedure Code by Cantonment police
Bagban said, “This scam has been in the offing for the past three decades wherein PA Inamdar has carried out large scale manipulation of trust records and destroyed the documents. Currently, Azam Campus is under the illegal control of PA Inamdar and his family who are misleading the community and society at large. The Inamdar’s are to be made accountable to the law and Muslim community and we are sure that we will get justice by the court and see them punished.”
Following the plea, Judicial Magistrate First Class ( Cantonment Court ) AS Deshpande. in his order dated March 16, directed the Cantonment police station to lodge an offence against 14 trustees including the trust president, PA Inamdar.
The judge in his order said, “Perusal of application and documents placed on record prima facie discloses commission of cognisable offence. The application is supported by affidavit Hence, detailed investigation is required and for that purpose, it is necessary to direct the concerned police station to conduct the investigation on the basis of a complaint made by the applicant.”
Allegations against PA Inamdar
Bagban in his complaint alleged that PA Inamdar became the president of MCES in 1983 with mala fide interests in order to promote his commercial interests.
He also alleged that Inamdar with the help of other accused trustees created a win-win situation calling a general body meeting of the society on April 6, 1986 and amended a non existing constitution of 1967, and introduced fake and bogus subscription fees of the new members and deleted 400 names of all old members and donors on the pretext of subscription fee. According to Bagban, these 400 persons were members as per the original constitution of 1948. However, in 1990, the then deputy charity commissioner rejected this 1967 document.
Bagban has also accused Inamdar of replacing the education society’s original constitution of 1948 with a bogus one of 1967 and deleting several legal members to illegally push his members into the society and take control of its affairs since April 1986, when he became the MCES president.
Akramul Jabbarul Khan, former chief commissioner of income tax and a Muslim intellectual, said, “The governance of the Muslim educational institute Azam Campus, has to be a level playing field, where the Muslim community must benefit at large. It should not become monopolistic, family oriented and close knit special interest group where the larger interests of community empowerment are sacrificed for the narrow goals of self growth and absolute control.”
14 board members of education society face probe
Inamdar’s response
The matter is now with the police and charity commissioner’s office. Bagban is talking about the 1948 membership list that was destroyed. We joined the trust in 1977. Our statements are recorded by the police and the so it would not be prudent to speak on the case at this juncture -
PA Inamdar, president, Maharashtra Cosmopolitan and Education Society (MCES)
Police action
The Cantonment police have sought information from the Pune charity commissioner regarding all the trust documents belonging to Maharashtra Cosmopolitan and Education Society (MCES).
“We will study all the trust documents available at Pune charity commissioner’s office, and then move ahead with our investigations,” said Varsha Shinde, assistant police inspector and investigating officer in the case.
The Cantonment police have lodged an FIR dated April 8 against all the 14 accused under Indian Penal Code Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly), 465 (forgery ), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 470 ( forged document).
Key charges against MCES
As per petition filed by MCES member Anwar Bagban in the Bombay high court, the key charges against the society that need to be investigated include:
-Alleged forgery and fabrication of membership registered in 2010 and destruction of original register
-Bogus and forged membership list submitted before joint charity commissioner in Pune
-Denial of opportunity to Bagban and other members to participate in society activities, general body meetings and other day-to-day affairs even though he and his associates are recognised members of the society
-Unlawful gains through donations and other means
History
The sprawling 24 acres of Azam campus in Pune Cantonment area was developed out of a generous donation by the philanthropist and educationist Haji Gulam Mohammad Azam, a native of Gujarat. He was engaged in the sugar industry and is regarded as the first sugar baron in the country
The educational complex is governed today by MCES and has at least 20,000 students from pre-primary school to post graduate level with the medium of instruction being Urdu as well as English