UP man with British citizenship booked for alleged illegal foreign funding of madrassas

Sant Kabir Nagar (UP), Nov 3 (PTI) Police here have booked a British national, Shamsul Huda Khan, for allegedly collecting foreign funds illegally in the name of promoting Islamic education, officials said on Monday.

The FIR was lodged late Sunday evening on a written complaint from the District Minority Welfare Officer, they said.

Kotwali police station in-charge Pankaj Pandey said the case was registered under relevant provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, and sections 13 and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

"The FIR was filed following a report from the District Minority Officer alleging illegal foreign funding activities," he added.

According to the District Minority Welfare Officer, Khan, a native of Deoria Lala village in Sant Kabir Nagar district, was employed as a teacher in a government-aided madrassa in Azamgarh.

He reportedly moved to Britain in 2007 and acquired British citizenship in 2013.

During this period, Khan allegedly established a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and two madrassas, one in Khalilabad and another in Azamgarh district, despite being a foreign national, the officer said.

He said that a recommendation has also been sent to higher authorities to cancel the registration of the NGO and both madrassas.

Further investigation into the matter is underway, Pandey said. PTI COR KIS SMV RT RT