Born in Lahore, taught in Bareilly: No trace of Pak-origin teacher 3 months after dismissal
Senior police officials in the district confirmed that they were conducting raids and looking for her even three months after the education department formally dismissed her
Even three months after her identity fraud was widely reported, a Pakistan-origin woman who allegedly taught at a school in Bareilly’s Fatehganj West for years continued to remain untraceable. Senior police officials in the district confirmed that they were conducting raids and looking for her even three months after the education department formally dismissed her
Shumaila Khan had used forged documents to secure the position of an assistant teacher at Madhopur Primary School in Fatehganj West block on April 7, 2015, several media reports had claimed. Her appointment was based on fabricated documents purportedly issued by Rampur’s Sadar tehsil. The matter came to the fore when a complaint prompted an investigation by the local intelligence unit (LIU), which revealed that Khan’s parents were citizens of Lahore.
Subsequently, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Rampur Sadar cancelled her original residential certificate. The education department then removed her from service two years ago after she failed to present any valid proof of her Indian citizenship during departmental inquiries. In January this year, the department formally dismissed her and ordered the recovery of the salary paid during her fraudulent tenure.
Despite repeated efforts, law enforcement agencies have been unable to trace Khan’s whereabouts. Bareilly SP (North) Mukesh Chandra Mishra confirmed that several raids had been conducted in Rampur and other possible locations under the supervision of inspector Pradeep Kumar Chaturvedi and investigating officer Vishwadev Singh. “The search is ongoing, but we have not been able to locate her so far,” said Mishra.
The case saw a twist with the involvement of Khan’s mother, Mahira Akhtar. According to officials, Mahira was earlier married to SA Khan, a resident of Lahore. Shumaila was born in Pakistan, and after Mahira’s divorce three years into the marriage, she moved to India with her daughter and settled in Bajrohi Tola, Rampur.
However, Mahira too failed to obtain Indian citizenship. Despite that, she reportedly secured employment by concealing her nationality. Her services were eventually terminated as well, on similar grounds of fraud and misrepresentation.
Education and intelligence authorities have been placed on alert, and departmental officials have hinted at tightening recruitment protocols to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
