A clerk of the Uttar Pradesh education department has been arrested on the charges of making forged documents to help Rampur Public School, run by the Jauhar trust of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, get accreditation from the board.

According to Rampur police, clerk Taufeeq Ahmad had helped the trust get the certificate of recognition for the school from the district education department despite the fact that the school was built on land meant for an orphanage and that the permission for erecting a building was never granted by Rampur Municipal Corporation.

Ahmad had also misused the fire department’s NOC issued to another school for clearing the application of Rampur Public School, said the police.

Rampur Superintendent of Police, Ashok Kumar, said, “Taufeeq Ahmad has been booked under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged documents as genuine) for making forged documents. He had applied for bail, but the court denied it, following which he was arrested and sent to jail.

“The role of the then Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) is also under the scanner as the recognition certificate for the school bears his signature. He may also face similar action if found guilty.”

The school building was given on lease for 33 years to the trust at an annual fee of Rs 100. It was then decided that the lease period can be extended twice for 33 years each.

The lease was terminated by the district administration in March this year and the institution was evacuated. However, the Allahabad High Court stayed the district administration’s order later.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)