The complaint alleges violation of the terms of the 1959 agreement, claiming educational use of 21.125 acres of land; Assets worth around Rs 300 crore mentioned in the investigation
Lucknow. The dispute regarding the land, properties and management of Ram Bharose Maikulal Inter College located in Telibagh is continuously deepening. In this case, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, while giving an important interim order on 17 September 2026, has banned the creation of any kind of third party rights on the properties of the institution or the transfer of the property. During the hearing of PIL No. 554/2026, the court directed that no person managing the institution will currently transfer the property of the institution nor create any right over it to any third party. The next hearing of the case will be on October 7, 2026.
The matter is related to the PIL filed by Telibagh Social and Public Welfare Committee. Along with this, special appeal number 311/2026 related to the Management Committee of Ram Bharose Maikulal Inter College is also listed before the court. The latest order of the High Court is important towards maintaining the status quo in the ongoing dispute regarding school properties.
Claim of educational use clause in 1959 agreement
In the application given by the complaining party to the officials including the District Magistrate, it has been said that under the agreement signed on April 30, 1959, about 21.125 acres of land was made available to Ram Bharose Maculal Higher Secondary School, Telibagh on the prescribed conditions. According to the complaint, this land was to be used for school building, agricultural farm, sports and other educational purposes.
The available documents also mention that about 21.125 acres of land was made available to the institution by the State Government in the year 1959 for educational and agricultural purposes and the conditions related to prescribed use of the land and unauthorized commercial use/transfer.
The complainant party alleges that in subsequent years, commercial activities were carried out through shops and other constructions on some parts of the school land. The documents also present a list of shops, hospital, parking, residential construction and other commercial activities in the school premises.
The lease of 12,525 square meter land of agricultural farm is also in question.
According to the investigation documents, 5,205 and 7,320 square meter land of the agricultural farm of the school, a total of about 12,525 square meter, is mentioned to be given to an institution named Ram Bharose Maculal Mahavidyalaya for about 30 years through lease documents dated 12 September 2018 and 2 December 2020. In the documents, this organization is stated to be under the control of Shrikant Sahu and his family/close persons. Later, there is also mention of cancellation of registration of the said new institution.
In the investigation documents, this arrangement has been described as worthy of examination from the perspective of conflict of interest. Besides, questions have also been raised on points like leasing process, pricing of land, open competitive process and approval from the competent authority.
Allegation of depositing Rs. 80 lakhs in the account of another institution out of the lease amount of about one crore rupees.
The investigation conducted under Section 24 said that the school was to receive an amount of about Rs 1 crore from the lease arrangement, but instead of being deposited in the school's account, about Rs 80 lakh was deposited in the account of the new institution. The investigation termed it a case of alleged fund diversion and expressed the need for an independent financial investigation.
Apart from this, there is also mention of one payment of about Rs 6.36 lakh and such payments of more than Rs 1,05,93,517, in support of which bills, vouchers, contracts, work orders and other necessary financial records were not provided, it has been said in the investigation report.
Questions raised on cash withdrawal of Rs 34.05 lakh
The investigation documents also mention cash withdrawal of about Rs 34.05 lakh. According to the report, adequate accounting records were not made available to support the actual use of such a large amount of cash. The need for its special audit or forensic examination has been expressed.
There is also mention of not providing many necessary records during the investigation and not giving proper response to the notices. According to investigation documents, this made it difficult to get a complete picture of the institution's financial transactions.
Controversy regarding teaching rooms and shops also
The complaint mentions shops and other commercial activities in various parts of the school campus. The complainant party alleges that many shops were built on the school land and an attempt was made to put some teaching rooms into commercial use.
It is also alleged in the document that there was a dispute regarding the shops on the basement and first floor and the teaching rooms built on the upper floor. According to the complainant, students of class 11 and 12 were studying there and the attempt to make changes in the teaching rooms was opposed.
Management dispute regarding manager also
In the application letter given to the authorities by the complainant ML Gupta, allegations have also been made regarding the management post of the then manager Shrikant Sahu. The complaint states that several controversial decisions were taken at the management level, including suspension/dismissal of the school principal.
However, these allegations are not independently confirmed by this document. The available records mention various complaints, investigations and judicial proceedings related to the institution against Shrikant Sahu, while the final status of the related cases will be clear only from the orders of the competent court or authority.
Human rights investigation and FIR also cited
In its application, the complaining party has also cited the Human Rights Commission's investigation and registration of FIR. There is also mention in the documents of FIR being lodged in relation to the institution. Also, the complainant party has demanded action against Shrikant Sahu citing the previous judicial proceedings.
In this regard, it is important that filing of charges or FIR in any investigation does not in itself constitute a conviction. The final legal position will be determined by the outcome of the relevant judicial process.
After old orders of High Court, DIOS also imposed ban
In the letter issued on 11 May 2026 by the District School Inspector, Lucknow, citing the High Court's order of writ petition number 6862/2025 dated 11 August 2025, it has been mentioned to maintain the status quo regarding the properties of the institution. In the same letter, the order of 14 May 2025 of Public Interest Litigation No. 542/2025 has also been cited.
DIOS had given instructions to ensure immediate ban on operation of circus, market or other commercial activities in the school premises. A copy of the letter was sent to the concerned officials including Deputy District Magistrate Sarojini Nagar, Police Station Incharge Telibagh and the Principal of the school.
Complaint to District Magistrate regarding firecracker market
In the application given by the complainant ML Gupta to the District Magistrate Lucknow, a demand has been made to ban the operation of firecracker market or other commercial activities in the school premises. It has been said in the complaint that keeping in mind the orders of the High Court and the Education Department, such activities should be banned in the school premises. The complainant has claimed that he has received information about taking money from shopkeepers and giving them instructions to allot shops for the firecracker market. This claim is not independently confirmed by available documentation. The situation will become clear only after administrative investigation in the matter. According to the documents, the investigation report conducted under Section 24 was considered in the special general meeting of the organization on June 10, 2026. Decisions regarding accepting the investigation report, initiating necessary criminal and legal action against Shrikant Sahu, making arrangements for the security of the properties of the organization and making interim administrative arrangements are recorded in the meeting. The meeting also recorded a decision to ban the transfer of any property of the institution or creation of new financial liabilities without the permission of the competent court or authority. The documents mention that an FIR has been registered in relation to the case. In the investigation, questions have also been raised regarding the records related to the agricultural faculty of the school and the agricultural farm. According to the report, necessary records related to crop register, farm register, practical training programme, agricultural income-expenditure and crop production were not made available during the investigation. Other use of land for agricultural purposes is also mentioned in the investigation documents. On this basis, the need for an independent investigation into compliance with the conditions of operation and recognition of the Faculty of Agriculture has been stated. The Section 24 investigation noted lack of clarity regarding the source of donation amount of approximately Rs 70.50 lakh and lack of necessary technical and administrative approvals and records to support the construction expenditure of approximately Rs 71.79 lakh. It has also been said that necessary records related to salary payment were not presented completely. The complainant party says that the land and properties of the school are basically for educational purposes and should be used in the interest of the students. A demand has been made to keep the school premises free from controversial commercial activities, especially to ensure that the education of children from poor families is not affected. It is also mentioned in the documents that the institution gets grants through the Secondary Education Department of the State Government. On this basis, the security of the assets and financial system of the institution has been described as a matter of wider public interest.
Hearing will be held again in the High Court on October 7
At present, after the order of the High Court dated 17 September 2026, the situation regarding the properties of the school is clearly under judicial surveillance. The court has prohibited the transfer of the institution's property or the creation of third party rights over it. The next hearing of the case will be on October 7, 2026. At the same time, the final status of the allegations related to the use of school land, lease, alleged financial irregularities and business activities will be clear only after investigation and judicial process. At present the matter is in discussion due to the security of school property, management related disputes and academic interest of the students. In the investigation, the allegation of embezzlement of Rs 340 crore against the dismissed manager Shri Kant Sahu was found to be true. ML Gupta, Vice Principal, Ram Bharose Maikulal Inter College, Telibagh, Lucknow and President, Telibagh Social and Public Welfare Committee, Rathind Nagar Telibagh, Lucknow.