NEW DELHI — Authorities have successfully demolished a madrasa in Uttar Pradesh, citing illegal construction on Gram Sabha land, an action that comes years after the institution's alleged founder, Maulana Shamsul Huda Khan, reportedly continued to draw a salary until 2017 and pension benefits until 2023, despite being a British national since 2013.

The demolition, which follows a November 2025 court order and subsequent upholding by higher courts in April 2026, aligns neatly with a broader anti-encroachment drive. The timing was purely coincidental, sources confirmed, despite the individual in question accumulating around ₹16 lakh in irregular payments and facing investigations by the Enforcement Directorate and Anti-Terrorism Squad for fraud, forgery, and alleged extremist ties.

"We are simply enforcing the law regarding illegal structures," said an official, who declined to comment on why it took until 2024 for a local resident's complaint to initiate the lengthy legal process, even as the cleric allegedly received government funds for a decade as a foreign national. "The focus is on ensuring all constructions adhere to regulations, regardless of other ongoing investigations."

Local residents, whose complaints finally led to the demolition, expressed hope that future structures benefiting individuals under multiple fraud and foreign funding violation investigations would be identified with similar administrative efficiency in a more timely manner.