Jabalpur/Bhopal: Congress MLA from Bhopal, Arif Masood, has received significant relief from the Supreme Court. The apex court has set aside an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court that had directed the registration of an FIR against him and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. The case is linked to alleged irregularities in the recognition and property documents of Indira Priyadarshini College in Bhopal.
During earlier proceedings, the Madhya Pradesh High Court had instructed the Bhopal Police Commissioner to register an FIR against Masood. It had also ordered the Director General of Police to constitute an SIT to investigate the allegations. Challenging this directive, Masood approached the Supreme Court.
A division bench comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Atul Chandurkar questioned the High Court’s interim directions during the hearing. The Supreme Court observed that such strict orders were not necessary before the state government had filed its response. The bench also remarked that, prima facie, the High Court’s directions did not appear appropriate at that stage of the proceedings.
Senior advocate Vivek Tankha represented Arif Masood in the Supreme Court. He argued that the High Court had directed the registration of an FIR and the formation of an SIT without hearing the government’s side, which was not in line with established judicial procedure. After hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court set aside the High Court’s order.
However, the apex court clarified that the matter is still pending before the High Court. It directed all parties to complete their submissions at the earliest so that the High Court can decide the case on its merits.
The dispute stems from an order issued by the Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Department on June 9, 2025, cancelling the recognition of Indira Priyadarshini College in Bhopal following an inquiry. Masood had challenged this decision in the High Court.
Indira Priyadarshini College is operated by Aman Education Society, where Arif Masood serves as the secretary. The college is located in Khanugaon area of Bhopal.
The controversy began after former MLA Dhruvnarayan Singh filed a complaint alleging irregularities in the documents related to the college’s land and recognition. Following an investigation, the Commissioner of Higher Education reportedly concluded that Aman Education Society had obtained the college’s NOC and recognition using allegedly forged documents.
The inquiry also indicated that a sale deed was allegedly prepared using fabricated documents and registered at the sub-registrar’s office. Based on these findings, the government cancelled the college’s recognition.
With the Supreme Court’s latest order, the directives to register an FIR and constitute an SIT have been set aside for now, while the High Court will continue to hear the matter and deliver a final verdict based on the merits of the case.
