In the bustling town of Malegaon, Maharashtra—a hub of textile mills and diverse communities—a shocking education scam has unravelled, exposing deep-rooted corruption in the state’s public schooling system. What began as a whistleblower complaint about unqualified teachers drawing salaries for over a decade has ballooned into a multi-crore fraud involving fake appointments, backdated records, and complicit officials. As of September 2025, arrests continue to mount, with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Nashik Rural Police at the forefront of the probe. This case not only highlights local malfeasance but also ties into a larger statewide scandal of “ghost teachers” siphoning off billions in public funds.
The Anatomy of the Fraud
At the heart of the Malegaon scam are two primary schools: Malegaon High School & Junior College, managed by the Anjuman Moinut Tulba society, and Y N Jadhav School in Sangmeshwar. In a brazen scheme, school managements allegedly recruited 13 teachers in 2024 but doctored records to show their appointments dated back to 2012. This sleight of hand allowed them to claim government salaries retroactively—from 2012 to 2021—totalling over Rs 2.6 crore for the Anjuman school alone. Similar irregularities plagued Y N Jadhav School, where at least one junior clerk, Sandip Jadhav, was appointed in 2012 despite failing to pass his Class 10 exams. He pocketed Rs 45 lakh in salary until April 2024, contributing to a combined fraud exceeding Rs 1 crore across the cases.
The modus operandi was simple yet insidious: Proposals for these “appointments” were funnelled through the Nashik Zilla Parishad (ZP) education department, where officials rubber-stamped the documents without verification. Fake joining dates, forged qualifications, and even non-existent staff profiles were entered into the system, enabling the diversion of funds meant for genuine educators. Investigations revealed that unqualified individuals paid bribes—ranging from Rs 20-30 lakh—to secure these phantom positions, a tactic echoing the broader Maharashtra ghost teachers racket. In aided schools like those in Malegaon, lax oversight made such manipulations easier, as these institutions receive government grants with minimal on-ground scrutiny.
This local episode is symptomatic of a massive statewide crisis. In July 2025, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed in the assembly that education officials had created thousands of bogus identities on the Shalarth portal—a digital platform for teacher salaries and records—to embezzle between Rs 2,000 and 3,000 crore. Fake Shalarth IDs, complete with fabricated bank accounts and photos, allowed salaries to be withdrawn for non-existent staff, with bribes demanded even from legitimate teachers for backdated promotions. While the Malegaon case isn’t explicitly linked in reports, its tactics mirror this epidemic, underscoring systemic vulnerabilities in the education bureaucracy.
Key Players and the Trail of Arrests
The scam’s exposure owes much to Zainab, daughter of teacher Mohammad, who filed a complaint on July 27, 2024, at Pawarwadi Police Station in Malegaon. Her allegations triggered a domino effect of revelations, implicating school managements, teachers, and high-ranking officials.
School Management: Ishaque Zariwala, Chairman of Anjuman Moinut Tulba, and other committee members face arrest warrants after their anticipatory bail pleas were rejected by lower courts. They have escalated the matter to the Bombay High Court.
Teachers Involved: On September 2, 2025, five teachers from Malegaon High School—Imtiaz Ahmed Riyaz Ahmed, Aafaque Anjum Ashfaq Ahmed, Faheem Ahmed Iqbal Ahmed, Shaikh Aarif Ibrahim, and Naeem Ahmed Sagheer Ahmed—were arrested following EOW interrogations. Statements from retired headmasters and existing staff corroborated the backdating fraud.
Education Officials: The noose tightened on September 10, 2025, when three senior Nashik ZP figures were nabbed, Praveen Patil (Deputy Director of Education), Uday Deore (Deputy Education Officer), and Sudhir Pagar (Office Superintendent). Patil and Pagar were tied to the Anjuman school fraud, while Deore cleared the bogus junior clerk at Y N Jadhav School. Produced before a Malegaon court, they were remanded to police custody until September 13, 2025.
Politically, the scandal has roiled Malegaon, a constituency represented by Education Minister Dada Bhuse. Local MLA Mufti Ismail spotlighted the issue during the Maharashtra Assembly’s Monsoon Session in July 2025, accusing corruption of thriving “under the nose” of the minister and demanding accountability. Bhuse’s response led to the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Nagpur’s Zone 2 Deputy Commissioner Nityanand Jha, broadening the probe to include Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, and Chandrapur districts—where 24 officers and principals have already been arrested.
Broader Implications and the Road Ahead
The Malegaon scam has inflicted lasting damage. Genuine teachers went underpaid while fraudsters siphoned funds, eroding trust in an already strained public education system. With over Rs 3 crore lost locally and billions statewide, it raises urgent questions about digital portals like Shalarth and the need for field-level audits, as urged by former official Ram Pawar.
As the SIT delves deeper—with more arrests likely—the case could reshape Maharashtra’s education governance. For Malegaon’s students, whose futures hang in the balance, swift reforms are not just desirable but essential. The arrests signal progress, but only rigorous oversight can prevent the next ghost from haunting the classroom.
Malegaon: – The Maeeshat Foundation’s Malegaon Chapter organized a significant Mashwara (Consultation) Meeting at Green Land, Lonwade, Malegaon, to shape a transformative cover story for Maeeshat Magazine (English). Titled “Redefining the City of Power Looms – Malegaon,” the event brought together thought leaders, stakeholders, and community members to discuss and highlight Malegaon’s evolving identity and untapped potential.
Held on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at 8:00 PM, the gathering served as a platform for meaningful dialogue, fostering collaboration and innovative ideas to reframe Malegaon’s narrative beyond its traditional association with power looms. The Maeeshat Foundation, dedicated to promoting socio-economic development, emphasized the importance of collective insights in crafting a story that reflects the city’s aspirations and progress.
The cover story aims to showcase Malegaon’s transformation, spotlighting its cultural, economic, and social advancements on a broader stage. Attendees were encouraged to share their perspectives, ensuring the narrative captures the community’s voice and vision.
The Maeeshat Foundation – Malegaon Chapter expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic participation and reiterated its commitment to driving initiatives that uplift and redefine the city’s identity. This Mashwara Meeting marks a pivotal step toward positioning Malegaon as a hub of opportunity and innovation in Maeeshat Magazine’s upcoming edition.
When out of power, PM Narendra Modi was vocal in criticizing the Congress Party for the “Pink Revolution”—the nickname for India’s rising beef exports. He blamed Manmohan Singh’s government for encouraging the beef trade to woo the 14% Indian Muslims.
Modi had then promised to curb the beef export industry, but it turned out to be yet another promise he had never kept. Under Modi’s rule, beef exports have increased by 16 percent since 2014.
Putting the brakes on India’s beef industry isn’t as easy as it sounds. The lack of a comprehensive, uniform law regarding cow slaughter makes it easier for people to find ways to kill cows if they want to. Inside India’s borders, people dodge the law by smuggling cows to states where there are little or no penalties for cow slaughter. So things go on, as it was going before.
India now ranks as the second-largest beef exporter globally, earning around $4.3 billion annually. The world’s largest beef exporter is Brazil, followed by India, Australia, the USA, and the UK.
Indian beef export began in the 1960s, but it grew significantly in the last decade under the Modi rule. Today, India exports beef to 65 countries. The demand for Indian beef is especially high because it comes from free-ranging buffaloes fed on natural pastures.
The cow vs buffalo’s meat export is something that’s always being debated in India. It is said that the bulk of India’s meat export is buffalo meat. India has 115 million buffaloes, more than half the world’s population, and produces about 1.53 million tons of beef every year.”
Those who argue for cow meat say there are 76 million cows, and India is now the world’s largest milk producer. Most cows, past their milk-producing age, end up being turned into leather and beef export rather than living out their years in cow shelters. Even though some Hindus might argue that the beef export comes from buffalo meat, many in India’s beef industry say it’s likely that the cow meat too is supporting the lucrative beef export industry in India.
The business opportunities in the beef export industry are tremendous. The lucrativeness of the beef export business is attracting Hindus into this trade. Money from exporting meat to oil-rich Gulf countries has brought Hindus to this trade. Among the six largest meat exporters in India, four are Hindus. 1) Al-Kabeer Exports Pvt. Ltd company owned by Mr. Shatish & Mr. Atul Sabharwal 2) Arabian Exports Pvt.Ltd company owned by Mr.Sunil Kapoor 3) M.K.R Frozen Food Exports Pvt. Ltd. Company owned by Mr. Madan Abott 4) P.M.L Industries Pvt. Ltd. Company owned by Mr. A.S Bindra.
Another notable feature that warrants attention is that all the beef exported has been stamped with Halal certification; however, the BJP-ruled government has imposed a ban on Halal certification for domestic consumption.
Bengaluru, September 6, 2025 – The Al-Ameen Educational Society, Bengaluru, marked a momentous occasion with the celebration of Founder’s Day 2025, held in loving memory of the late Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan Saheb, the visionary founder of the Al-Ameen Movement. The event, hosted at the Al-Ameen Campus near Lalbagh Main Gate, brought together esteemed academicians, students, and community leaders to honor a legacy of educational excellence and social empowerment.
The highlight of the ceremony was the conferment of the prestigious “Al-Ameen All India Community Leadership Award-2025” upon Mr. M Nurul Islam Middya, the esteemed founder of Al-Ameen Mission, West Bengal. Serving as the Chief Guest, Mr. Islam was recognized for his transformative contributions to education and the upliftment of underprivileged communities. Mr. Zackria Hashim, Chairman of the Al-Ameen Scholarship Trust, Bengaluru, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour, while Mr. Umar Ismail Khan, Chairman of the Al-Ameen Educational Society, presided over the proceedings. Mr. Zubair Anwar Sait, the Honorary Secretary, oversaw the seamless organization of the event.
The day’s proceedings were a heartfelt tribute to Mr. Islam’s remarkable journey, which began in 1976 when, as a 10th-standard student, he established the Khalatpur Junior High Madrasa in Howrah, West Bengal. This modest initiative has since blossomed into the Al-Ameen Mission, now encompassing 72 residential campuses across 23 districts, nurturing over 23,000 students. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Islam expressed deep gratitude to Al-Ameen College for the honor, reflecting on his mission’s dual focus on academic excellence and character development rooted in strong values.
Al-Ameen Arts, Science, and Commerce College, affiliated with Bengaluru City University and accredited with a ‘B’ Grade by NAAC, celebrated Mr. Islam’s legacy, which includes mentoring over 4,500 doctors, 4,000 engineers, and numerous civil servants, professors, and lawyers. His leadership shone brightly with 472 students qualifying for free medical seats in government colleges through the NEET (UG) 2025 examination, underscoring the institution’s commitment to excellence.
Mr. Islam’s contributions have previously been recognized with the prestigious Banga Bhushan Award from the West Bengal government in 2015 and the Sir Syed Award from the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI), affirming his transformative impact on education. Dr. Nurul Haque, Principal of Al-Ameen Memorial Minority College, and other dignitaries lauded his vision, drawing parallels with the ethos of the Al-Ameen Movement initiated by Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan to advance education among minority communities. The shared values of quality education and social equity between Al-Ameen College and Al-Ameen Mission were prominently highlighted.
The ceremony concluded with a renewed commitment to educational reform and community empowerment. Al-Ameen College reaffirmed its dedication to supporting such initiatives, announcing open admissions for the 2025-26 academic year across various undergraduate and integrated courses. Mr. Islam’s recognition serves as both a celebration of his past achievements and a beacon of inspiration for future generations to harness education as a tool for nation-building.
Attendees, including the Al-Ameen College community, left the event inspired by Mr. Islam’s enduring legacy, which continues to illuminate the path for thousands of students across India.
7000 students, faculties came together to celebrate
9th Mile, Khanapara, Ri Bhoi, Friday, September 5, 2025: The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) marked a grand celebration today: Celebrating a major academic milestone—USTM’s continued presence among the Top 200 universities in India (151–200 band) in the NIRF Rankings 2025, released by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. USTM proudly retains its position as the first and only private university from North East India in this prestigious category for the fourth consecutive year.
Delivering the keynote address, Hon’ble Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque emphasized the rigour of the NIRF evaluation, he expressed pride that USTM has sustained its national ranking while many other where many universities’ rankings were displaced.
The event was also graced by Vice Chancellor Prof. G.D. Sharma and Padma Shri Dr. Sarbeswar Sahariah, Pro Vice Chancellor, along with the Deans from various schools, Faculties and more than 6000 students radiating excitement and pride.
In a powerful moment of unity, Chancellor Hoque invited all faculty members to the stage—so many that they could barely fit on the dais—visibly demonstrating USTM’s strong academic workforce. Deans, Heads of Departments, and senior professors were felicitated with gifts and traditional gamusas as a mark of respect and appreciation.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Shri Anju Hazarika, Registrar, USTM, who acknowledged the dedication of every individual contributing to the university’s progress.
On an optimistic note, USTM expressed its vision for the future: “We are confident that with continued dedication, support from the Government of Meghalaya, and unwavering academic commitment, USTM will be among the Top 50 universities in India in the coming year.”
The Teacher’s Day-cum-NIRF celebration concluded with a renewed spirit of purpose and ambition for the future.
