Pune: NIA Clears Blue Bells School of ‘Anti-National Activities’, Education Department Orders Closure for Operating Without Permissions
Kondhwa, 21st April 2023: Blue Bells School, a self-financed institution in Kondhwa, Pune, found itself at the centre of controversy after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sealed off the fourth and fifth floors of the KZ Knowledge Centre building. The school also operated from the second and third floors of the same building.
However, Pune city police confirmed that no action has been taken against the school, and no inquiry or investigation is underway by NIA.
“After a discussion between senior officers of the NIA and Pune city police, it has been clarified that no action has been taken against Blue Bells School. Additionally, the NIA is not conducting any inquiry against the school,” states a press release issued by the office of the Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region).
The building, also known as the Blue Bells School building in the Ashrafnagar locality of Kondhwa, had premises of PFI (Popular Front of India), a radical organization. The two floors in question were allegedly being used for anti-national activities. The NIA sealed the floors off, stating that they were in possession of the PFI.
The building is owned by Aqilahmed Siddiqui. It has four storeys and a terrace, with an Urdu School on the ground and first floors, and Blue Bells School on the second and third floors. The schools and PFI had taken different floors on rent.
Following the NIA’s actions on April 16, the education department conducted an inquiry into the school’s documents. Officials found that the school certificate was fake. The school has been operating since 2019 under the Seva Foundation trust, without valid permissions, according to the education department.
The Divisional Deputy Director of Education, Audumbar Ukirde, said an examination of the school’s documents revealed that the certificate issued by the office of the Pune Divisional Deputy Director of Education was fake. It has been decided to close the school. Students from the school will be adjusted in another institution, and a case will also be filed against the school.
Citing the findings of the education department, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has appealed to parents not to admit their children to Blue Bells School.
The Principal of Blue Bells School, Reshma Shaikh, shared the journey of running the self-aided school with her husband, Fazal-e-Karim, who serves as the Chief Trustee of the Seva Foundation. The school caters to 380 students, from nursery to Class X, most of whom come from lower-middle-class families, with many being the children of labourers. It is the only English medium institution these families can afford. The school had its first batch of 13 students appearing for the Board exams this year.
The couple has alleged that the NIA has defamed them, and parents are now afraid to send their children to school. When asked about the education department’s order to close the school, they claimed that the education department had given them the necessary certificates. The Maharashtra Board also recognized and allowed students to appear for the SSC (class 10th) board exams.
The situation has caused a great deal of concern for the parents of the school’s students. They are now faced with the prospect of finding a new institution for their children. The school’s administration is exploring legal options to decide its future course of action.
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