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ED Attaches Gangster Haji Iqbal's Glocal University Worth Rs 4,440 Crore

During Mayawati's regime in Uttar Pradesh, Saharanpur BSP former MLC Haji Iqbal became prominent and he later faced allegations of illegal mining. Haji Iqbal has also developed Glocal University worth Rs 4,440 crore, which is now attached by ED. With this, thousands of students studying in this university are facing an uncertain future.

BSP former MLC Haji Iqbal
BSP former MLC Haji Iqbal (ETV Bharat File Photo)

By ETV Bharat English Team

Published : Jun 15, 2024, 3:38 PM IST

Updated : Jun 17, 2024, 3:13 PM IST

Saharanpur : ED has seized Glocal University of BSP former MLC Haji Iqbal, who in involved in illegal mining and many controversies. Iqbal's name was popular in Uttar Pradesh during Mayawati's rule between 2007 and 2012. Even ministers and MLAs were next only to him. By creating fear among the people, he built Global University on 121 acres in Mirzapur area.

To build this university, Iqbal even encroached upon seasonal rivers. The cost of this university now comes to around Rs 4,440 crore. Along with illegal mining, Haji Iqbal alias Bala was also filling his coffers through money laundering. Apart from BSP, he also had influence in SP government. He was considered the biggest mining mafia of western UP. Despite knowing everything, governments kept avoiding taking action against him. Due to this, his status kept increasing continuously.

Iqbal bought a sugar mill at a very low price during the BSP government. The case happened between 2010 and 2011. Nearly 11 sugar mills were sold at very low prices. Due to this, the state and central governments suffered a loss of more than one thousand crores. He was also running many sugar mills in Saharanpur. He earned billions from this too. His bad days started in the year 2017. The police started tightening the noose around Iqbal, his younger brother Mahmood Ali, four sons and relatives.

Apart from illegal mining, money laundering and land grabbing, he was also charged with serious charges like rape. One after the other, the burden of cases on him kept increasing. Currently, there are about 40 cases registered against him. The police had recorded him as a gang leader in their crime file. The police arrested Mahmud Ali, his four sons and some relatives, but Iqbal could not be caught by the police till date.

In the year 2022, Saharanpur Police had confiscated Iqbal's property worth about Rs 107 crore under the Gangster Act. Their estimated value was Rs 36.40 crore. CM Yogi had recommended a CBI inquiry into the entire matter to the central government. After this, the CBI also registered a case and started investigation. Later, ED registered a case of money laundering against Iqbal.

In the year 2021, ED (Enforcement Directorate) also took action against Haji Iqbal in the sugar mill scam. During that time also, property worth more than Rs. 1,000 crores was confiscated. Apart from Namrata Marketing Pvt. Ltd., Girish Company was under the control of Iqbal. He had acquired sugar mills through various shell companies. Apart from Haji Iqbal, his family members also participated in the bid.

In 2022, on the basis of police action, a case was registered against Haji Iqbal and his 6 companions under Gangster Act in Mirzapur police station. Cases are registered against Haji Iqbal in many police stations of Saharanpur. There were 12 cases against sons Abdul Wahid and Javed. In this sequence, 3 cases were registered against the third son Afzal and 7 cases were registered against the fourth son Alishan.

Last year in 2023, Haji Iqbal's bungalow worth Rs 11 crores was seized. Many of his houses in Saharanpur were razed to the ground with a bulldozer. Now his university worth crores has also been seized. According to ED, Iqbal built the university with the black money from illegal mining. The former MLC is absconding. He is suspected to be hiding in Dubai, while his 4 sons and brother are behind bars.

At the same time, due to such a big action on the university, the future of thousands of students is in danger. The picture will be clear in the coming time whether the government will take over the administrative system of the Global University or the students will be shifted to some other university. Thousands of crores of rupees of NHRM scam were also invested in the university.

At present, BBA, MBA, BCA, MCA, LLB, BAMS, BTech, MTech, BSc and MSc courses are being offered in Global University. Apart from this, other courses including B-Pharma, D-Pharma, M-Pharma, BA, MA, MBBS and PhD are also being offered in the medical college. Around four thousand students are studying in all the courses. The special thing is that along with local students, a large number of foreign students are also pursuing various courses in Global University.

According to the university administration, currently it has a staff of about 700 people. Recently, a person had filed a case in Sadar police station, saying that he had got some admissions done in Global University but later it gave fake degrees to the students.

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