An unlawful madrasa belonging to Shamsul Huda Khan, a UK-based cleric initially from japanese Uttar Pradesh, was demolished by the administration in Uttar Pradesh’s Sant Kabir Nagar district on Sunday. Officers acknowledged that the construction had been constructed over 640 sq. metres in Motinagar locality of Khalilabad.
The motion adopted a demolition order issued by the Basti divisional commissioner, and was carried out by 10 groups within the presence of police and administrative authorities.
Authorities stated the demolition started round 10 am, utilizing six bulldozers to deliver down the three-storey construction, which had 25 rooms and was estimated to have been constructed at a value of practically ₹5 crore.
The operation was performed underneath tight safety, with over 100 police personnel, together with 30 girls constables, and two corporations of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) deployed on the website.
Officers stated the madrasa had remained closed since 2024, when round 400 college students have been enrolled. The administration alleges that the development, carried out about eight years in the past, was funded via overseas sources and constructed on land labeled as authorities property.
SK Singh, ASP, Sant Kabir Nagar, knowledgeable media individuals that the property is linked to Shamsul Huda Khan, who at the moment resides in the UK and purchased British citizenship in 2013. He left India in 2017, whereas his household continues to reside in Khalilabad.
In response to officers, the demolition adopted due authorized course of initiated after a grievance was filed in 2024 by an area resident within the SDM court docket, alleging unlawful building. In November 2025, the court docket ordered demolition and granted 15 days for compliance. Appeals filed earlier than the district Justice of the Peace and later the Basti divisional commissioner have been rejected; the commissioner upheld the order on April 25. A last discover was subsequently issued to the madrasa administration.
Members of the madrasa committee alleged that they weren’t given sufficient time to take away important belongings from the premises earlier than the demolition commenced. Khan is dealing with a minimum of three prison instances, together with allegations associated to overseas funding violations, fraud, and monetary irregularities.
A case registered on November 2, 2024, at Khalilabad police station consists of costs of misuse of overseas alternate provisions and illegal monetary good points. Chargesheets have already been filed in two instances.
Investigations by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) have additionally raised considerations about Khan’s alleged hyperlinks to extremist networks. Officers declare he had been underneath scrutiny since 2007 for suspicious actions and had travelled continuously to Pakistan underneath the pretext of non secular outreach, sustaining contacts with sure organisations and clerics. He’s additionally suspected of getting hyperlinks with separatist components in Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities additional allege that non secular platforms have been used to channel overseas funds and promote radicalisation, whereas efforts have been made to hide the supply and utilisation of such funds.
Khan had additionally operated a ladies’ madrasa in Khalilabad. It was sealed in 2024, after which one other establishment underneath the identical identify opened close by and was later sealed once more in November 2025. A residential facility functioning as a hostel for ladies from a number of districts was additionally underneath scrutiny.
In a separate departmental inquiry, officers discovered that regardless of buying British citizenship, Khan continued to attract a wage from a madrasa in Azamgarh till July 31, 2017. He allegedly acquired round ₹16 lakh via irregular means, facilitated by improper approval of medical go away, and was later granted voluntary retirement together with pension and provident fund advantages.
Following the publicity of those irregularities earlier this 12 months, 4 officers of the minority welfare division have been suspended for allegedly facilitating undue advantages to Khan throughout their tenure.
