Mumbai: The Vinobha Bhave Nagar police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the principal and management of Dr J N Barua English School in Kurla West, following a complaint from the state education department. The school is accused of operating without the necessary government approval and defying a closure order issued by the authorities.
Charges Filed Against School Officials
The FIR has been lodged against school principal Shahista Siddiqui and the management committee, which includes the president, secretary, and board members. They have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for offences including cheating, forgery, and disobedience of law.
Complaint by Education Department
Chhaya Paradke, sub-inspector of education, filed the complaint. According to her, the school was found to be functioning without recognition under the Maharashtra Self-Aided Schools (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2012, and the associated Rules of 2020.
Investigation Findings
Paradke stated that on March 31, education inspector Mustaq Sheikh directed her to investigate a complaint against the school. During her inspection on April 1, Siddiqui allegedly failed to produce any approval documents from the government. The inquiry revealed that the school had been operating without obtaining the required permissions from the education department.
Paradke told the Times of India that during her inspection, she found the school was unregistered. 'They did not have any documents at all, and when I asked why they had not registered their school, they said it was opened very recently,' she added.
Legal Framework for School Establishment
As per the Maharashtra Self-Aided Schools (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2012, and Rules 2020, any organisation wishing to establish a new school must first submit an application to the government. Subsequently, a letter of intent for constructing the school and other physical facilities must be submitted. The organisation then has 18 months to construct the school building with necessary amenities and submit a proposal for final approval. The school can only commence operations after receiving this final approval.
School Listed as Unrecognised
Dr J N Barua English Primary School was included in a list of 164 unrecognised schools published by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) education department on April 17.
Closure Notice and Continued Operation
Based on the inspection report, the education inspector issued a notice for the closure of the 'unauthorised' school, a halt on new admissions from the academic year 2026-27, and the transfer of existing students to recognised schools. The notice also warned of legal action, including criminal proceedings, for allegedly cheating students and parents. The complaint alleges that despite these directives, the management—including the president, secretary, board members, and principal—continued to operate the school.
Paradke has accused the institution of cheating the government, students, and parents by running an unrecognised school and violating official orders.
(Inputs by Mahiyar Patel)
