Allahabad HC stays coercive action against over 2 dozen madrasas in Shravasti district
Lucknow (PTI): The Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a stay on any coercive action, including demolition, against more than two dozen madrasas in Shravasti district of Uttar Pradesh.
The Lucknow bench passed the interim order on petitions filed by Madrasa Moinul Islam Qasmiya Samiti and 26 other individual madrasas, all in Shravasti district.
Justice Jaspreet Singh also directed the state government to file its reply by July 3.
Last month, an "illegal" madrasa built on government land in Bhagwanpur Bhaisahi village of Shravasti was demolished and two more were sealed as part of an Uttar Pradesh government drive against illegal encroachments and unrecognised religious institutions in districts bordering Nepal.
Besides Shravasti, a special campaign was launched by the local administrations and police in Balrampur, Bahraich, Maharajganj and Lakhimpur Kheri.
The petitioner madrasas have challenged notices issued by the state, which allegedly sought to restrain them from imparting religious education.
Madrasa lawyers Nipendra Singh, Aviral Raj Singh, Ali Moid and Mohd Yasir argued that the impugned notices were never properly served on them and were issued without proper application of mind.
Opposing the plea, Standing Counsel Upendra Singh requested two weeks to obtain instructions in the matter. However, despite the court's previous order, he was unable to produce the relevant records.
"It is now equally well settled that where any notice in the nature of a show cause is issued, it must be issued with sufficient particularity so that the noticee can respond specifically and can know what charge is to be replied," the court said.
On May 14, the HC had issued a similar order on a petition related to another Shravasti madrasa Maktab Anwarul Uloom.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
