Patna High Court.
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The Patna High Court has directed the Bihar government to complete within four weeks the ongoing probe into the release of grants to 609 madrassas on the basis of allegedly forged documents, and till then freeze the amount given to these registered institutions.
A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Partha Sarathi, while hearing a petition by Mohammad Alauddin Bismil, rapped the government saying that the government was shying away from placing on record the result of the inquiry. It only said that reminders have been sent to the District Magistrates.
The bench on Tuesday said that this is no explanation for not completing the inquiry within a time-frame, especially when the government has disbursed grants in respect of at least 88 educational institutions registered under the Madarsa Act in Sitamarhi district in the year 2020 alone. was cancelled. The education department had formed committees to examine the status of 609 educational institutions that had received grants last year.
The order states that the department shall convene a meeting of all the chairpersons of the three-member committees constituted vide communication dated September 17, 2021, with further directions to complete the investigation on an expeditious basis and ensure that it is completed within four weeks. It should not take more than The order states that the amount in the form of grant-in-aid will not be released in favor of 609 educational institutions until the individual verification is completed with regard to eligibility and compliance with the statutory provisions of the law and government proposals.
The court also asked the police to expeditiously complete the investigation in the FIR lodged in this context and asked the state police chief to file an affidavit regarding the latest status report within two weeks. The bench further said that we also remind the government, as alleged by the petitioner, that perhaps a detailed inquiry by a high level committee is required, as there are more than 2,459 educational institutions which are governed by the Bihar State Madarsa Education Board Act. , registered under 1981.
The bench directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department to file a personal affidavit within two weeks. wherein it is to be stated whether these educational institutions are fulfilling the norms, necessary infrastructure is available as prescribed under the law and in particular the Madarsa Act and the rules made thereunder and whether remedial action was taken if necessary Or not.