UP begins demolition of UK-based preacher’s madrasa after court declares it ‘illegal’

On Sunday, a joint team of district officials and police personnel arrived in Moti Bazaar in Khalilabad tehsil with bulldozers and began demolishing the building. The area was sealed off. Officials said it might take another two days to completely bring down the structure.

“Nearly a year ago, a sub-divisional magistrate’s court had ordered the removal of the building after declaring that it had been constructed illegally. The order was subsequently challenged before the district magistrate’s court, which upheld the SDM court’s decision. A further appeal before the commissioner’s court also failed,” an official said.

Khan is facing three cases in Uttar Pradesh and is also under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ED initiated its probe based on three FIRs registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police, which include charges of fraud, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

“Khan was initially appointed as a primary school teacher in a madrasa in 1984 and later acquired UK citizenship in 2013. Despite becoming a foreign national, he allegedly continued to draw salary until 2017 and received pension benefits until 2023, even after retirement,” said an official.

Police have alleged that he concealed his foreign citizenship and misrepresented his nationality, enabling him to unlawfully acquire immovable properties and claim government salary and retirement benefits without entitlement. It is further alleged that funds were illegally routed through NGOs controlled by him, under the guise of donations, and were used to construct madrasas and acquire properties in UP.