Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh: Authorities in Azamgarh district have registered cases against 219 madrasas that were found to be non-existent despite receiving financial aid from the government, police officials confirmed on Sunday. The fraudulent activities came to light following a thorough investigation conducted by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
Superintendent of Police (SP) Hemraj Meena stated that the cases were filed across 22 different police station areas in the district after discrepancies were discovered during an online data verification process on the Madrasa portal. The anomalies were first noticed when government officials cross-checked records related to madrasas that were receiving state aid.
The investigation, which was initially launched in response to a 2017 complaint submitted to the state government, uncovered serious irregularities in financial disbursements meant for these educational institutions. At first, 313 madrasas were flagged for possible discrepancies. However, after a detailed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, it was conclusively established that 219 of these institutions did not exist physically and were falsely registered to siphon off government funds.
“The probe, conducted by the EOW, revealed that government funds were illicitly acquired in the name of these madrasas using forged documents. The alleged institutions had no actual presence on the ground, and financial aid meant for them was misappropriated,” SP Meena elaborated.
The first official First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on February 6 at the Kandharapur police station, based on a complaint filed by EOW Inspector Kunwar Brahma Prakash Singh. As the investigation progressed, additional FIRs were filed across multiple police stations within the district. These included stations in Kotwali, Sidhari, Rani ki Sarai, Mubarakpur, Nizamabad, and other localities where fraudulent madrasas were identified.
Authorities have assured that the investigation is ongoing and further legal action will be taken based on the findings. “The matter is being thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken against those responsible once all the facts are verified,” added SP Meena.
This case highlights a significant financial scam in the education sector, where unscrupulous individuals exploited government aid schemes by registering non-existent institutions. The revelation has prompted concerns over the oversight and monitoring mechanisms of state-funded educational programs. The district administration and law enforcement agencies are now working together to ensure strict measures are implemented to prevent such fraudulent activities in the future.