Jamia Millia Islamia Teacher Suspended For Pocketing Money Raised For Turkey Earthquake Victims

A teacher at a Jamia Millia Islamia school in New Delhi has been suspended over allegations that he raised funds at the campus for earthquake-affected people of Turkey but pocketed the money for personal use.

The management said the unauthorised fundraising itself violated the conduct rules.

Haris Ul Haq is a physical education teacher at Jamia Middle School, run by the university. He allegedly raised Rs 1.40 lakh.

The university’s move to suspend Haq pending inquiry follows a police case filed against him on 31 July at Jamia Nagar Police Station for cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation.

The complaint was filed by the university that he had allegedly siphoned off Rs 1.40 lakh in the garb of collecting money for people affected by Turkey earthquake.

A press note by the university issued two days ago says that there have been several complaints of misbehaviour, negligent attitude towards duty and insubordination against Haq. He was suspended in the year 2010 as well for misconduct. 

On 6 February, a devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurred in southern Turkey and the northern border of Syria, affecting over 14 million people or 16 per cent of Turkey’s population. In the months after the earthquake, more than 30,000 shocks were experienced.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Indian government sent over Rs 7 crore worth of relief material to the regions in the first batch, and was one of the first countries to send relief material.