Sant

Kabir Nagar, April 26 (HS): Authorities began the destruction of an alleged

illegal madrassa erected in Khalilabad town by a UK-based Islamic preacher

accused of having extremist affiliations on Sunday, amidst heavy security. According

to Sub-Divisional Magistrate Hriday Ram Tiwari, the action was taken at the

madrassa in the Meat Mandi area the day after the madrassa committee's appeal

against the demolition notice was denied.

The

madrassa is tied to Maulana Shamshul Huda Khan, who obtained British

citizenship in 2013 and is accused of unlawfully building the complex,

according to officials According to the government, Khan was investigated by a

number of agencies, including the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the

Enforcement Directorate.

These

investigations purportedly uncovered instances of illicit foreign funding and

possible links to terrorist operations, prompting the registration of a FIR

against Khan at the Khalilabad police station. Tiwari stated that the site on

which the madrassa was erected had just been united with government land, and

the building design had not been approved by officials. He stated that the

matter involving the demolition order given by the SDM court was ongoing in the

commissioner's court, but the madrassa committee's appeal was dismissed on

Saturday. There is now no outstanding case in any court in this matter, thus

action has been taken, according to the SDM.

Additional District Magistrate Jai Prakash and Circle Officer Priyam

Rajshekhar were present at the scene, along with a significant number of policemen.

Khan,

a resident of Azamgarh district, reportedly sent donations to several madrassas

through his NGO, Raja Foundation, as well as his personal bank accounts, according

to ED officers.

Khan

is said to have visited Pakistan and is accused by officials of being a member

of the Pakistani extreme group 'Dawat E Islami'. The Uttar Pradesh police have

filed at least three FIRs against him, alleging fraud, forgery, and criminal

conspiracy.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi