FIR against Sarabha Nagar school for ₹2,400-cr fraud

Accused of running commercial activities on land allotted by LIT at low rate for operating a school

- Tarsem Singh Deogan

LUDHIANA: The division number 5 police have booked the management of New Higher Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, for "cheating" and illegally running commercial activity on the land which was allotted by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) to the management for the school. The deputy commissioner office, while citing a complaint, mentioned a ₹2,400-crore fraud referring to the commercial activities on the land and had forwarded the same to the LIT which has got the police case registered now.

According to the LIT's complaint, on one pocket of the 4.71 acre land at the prime location, a playway school (Orchid Junior International School) is being run. Pocket B has building of New Senior Secondary School, Pocket D has Shri Ram Universal School, Pocket E has Kangaroo Playway School, Pocket F has staff quarters and a new building is being constructed in Pocket G. On the main road, Madia Group has installed a hoarding that reads 'Business with Difference'. The school management committee has been receiving hefty rent from the playway schools, it has been alleged.

According to the FIR, when the LIT wrote a letter to the management committee seeking a reply on the violations, the committee approached the court on August 20, 2022, seeking a stay. The court has not issued any stay order to the committee. The next hearing will be on January 28.