Plea in High Court Alleges ‘Edu Scam' Over Urdu School's Transfer
Nagpur: A writ petition was filed in the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court challenging the transfer of Aarefa Urdu Primary School from Khajanagar in Amravati district to Hatrun in Akola district.
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The petition alleges a 'deep-rooted educational scam' involving forged documents, misleading inquiry reports, and official lapses.
Justice Pravin Patil, hearing the matter on Wednesday, issued notices to the Maharashtra govt and other respondents, directing them to file their replies before June 24.
The petition, moved by SK Sibghatullah Jagirdar, president of the Nagrik Sewa Sanstha, along with two other office-bearers of the same society, claims that the Saba Minorities Educational and Welfare Society, and Beacon Minority Education Welfare Society fraudulently orchestrated the transfer by fabricating documents and misleading the education department.
According to the petitioners, the state education department's transfer order, dated September 27, 2024, violated govt resolutions issued on July 28, 2021, and July 2, 2013, which restrict school transfers to a distance of no more than 20km to avoid unhealthy competition. The newly assigned location of the school in Hatrun is 122km from Khajanagar, the plea states.
The petitioners also allege that the rent agreement submitted by the respondent societies falsely claimed the existence of a school building on survey number 124 in Hatrun.
"No building exists at the claimed site, and official reports were manipulated to justify this transfer," the plea contends.
The petition highlights that Hatrun already has several established Urdu and Marathi medium schools, including the 70-year-old Zilla Parishad Urdu Primary School. It argues that the transfer not only violates state policy but also disrupts established educational institutions and violates the constitutional right to free and fair education.
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The petitioners have urged the court to order a judicial probe into the alleged fraud, disciplinary action against those responsible, and the cancellation of the disputed transfer order. They have also sought the appointment of a commissioner to physically verify the existence of the purported school building in Hatrun.
Further concerns have been raised in the plea about Iqra English School and Junior College, run by the same respondent societies, which reportedly received approval in 2019 despite not meeting mandatory conditions.
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