- By Shubham Bajpai
- Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:19 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- High Court dismissed plea against ATS madrasa probe.
- UP ATS investigation into foreign funding to intensify.
- Complaints about 4,000 madrasas receiving unknown funds.
After the High Court dismissed a petition seeking a stay on the ATS (Anti-Terrorism Unit) investigation into foreign donations and income from unknown sources in madrasas, the investigation in this case is likely to gain momentum.
The government had received complaints about 4,000 recognised and unrecognised madrasas operating in the state receiving funding from unknown sources and foreign sources. The government formed an SIT to investigate this matter.
On December 17, 2025, a meeting chaired by the Inspector General of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) decided to investigate three points. Ankit Kumar Agarwal, then Director of the Minority Welfare Department, issued a directive to the District Minority Officer (DMO) on January 9, 2026, stating that the ATS was investigating madrasas and so transactions in the bank accounts of madrasa managers must be verified.
It was stated in the directive that some of the madrasas operate in large buildings without a stable source of income. Madrasa operators do not disclose how the buildings were constructed or their sources of income. A thorough investigation was hence needed, the directive added.
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The directive to DMOs suggested that information on foreign funding should be gathered with the help of local sources and intelligence units and a report should be provided.
Amidst the action, various units of ATS started seeking information from the DMOs about the number of madrasas in their districts, names of students, mobile numbers and original addresses.
As the investigation gained momentum, the Madrasa Management Committee and Madrasa Teachers Association filed a petition in the Allahabad Bench of the High Court on February 11 against the ATS investigation, making the ATS officials a party and demanding a stay on the investigation.
While hearing the case, the court did not grant a stay order but issued notices to the government and the ATS. This somewhat slowed the ATS investigation. On July 1, a bench of Justice Vivek Saran and Justice Neeraj Tiwari of the Allahabad High Court dismissed the madrasa administrators' petition to halt the investigation.
The division bench stated in its order that, given the facts, the court is of the firm opinion that the investigation cannot be considered coercive action against the petitioners. ATS officials now say the investigation has not stopped. It may now be expedited.