Rampur district magistrate has been directed by a court on Friday to provide certified copies of approved building plans and other documents related to Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. The case concerns an appeal filed by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust against a Rampur Development Authority (RDA) order declaring 38 of the university campus’ 40 buildings illegal.
Junaid Ejaz, advocate for the Jauhar Trust, said the Rampur DM is also the vice-chairman of the Rampur Development Authority. He told the court that the maps and other documents sought by the trust had not been made available, as per a PTI report.
After hearing arguments from RDA counsel Dinesh Chauhan, Divisional Commissioner Sangeeta Singh directed the Rampur DM to issue certified copies of the records or maps submitted by the Jauhar Trust. The court also directed that any records available with the trust be produced at the next hearing.
RDA Had Declared 38 University Buildings Illegal
The Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust filed the appeal before the divisional commissioner’s court on July 20, challenging an RDA notice dated July 15. The notice declared 38 of the 40 buildings on the university campus illegal and ordered their demolition.
The appeal initially came up for admission and stay on July 28. However, due to a lawyers’ strike, the matter was heard a day earlier, on July 27, and a stay was granted until the appeal was admitted. The next hearing was scheduled for August 3.
On August 3, the court directed the university to submit relevant documents. During the August 10 hearing, the trust sought the master plan, zonal development plan, building bye-laws, regulations and other applicable rules from the RDA.
The matter was listed again on August 13, but the RDA did not produce the documents sought by the trust. The trust subsequently told the court that the building maps were available with the Public Works Department and the Rampur district magistrate’s office and had already been verified.
According to the trust, 14 buildings on the campus were constructed by 2008, while another 13 were built in 2009. The divisional commissioner accepted the trust’s application and fixed August 25 for the next hearing.
However, the matter could not be heard on that date. The then divisional commissioner of Moradabad was subsequently transferred, and Sangeeta Singh was appointed to the post. The case was later listed for September 10, but the hearing could not take place.
Jauhar Trust Management
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University is located in Rampur and is managed by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. The trust is headed by Nikhat Aflak, sister of former Uttar Pradesh minister and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.
Khan was previously the trust’s chairperson. His elder son Mohammad Adeeb Azam is the trust’s secretary, while his wife Tazeen Fatma is among the trustees.
(With Inputs from PTI)