BAREILLY: The district administration in Bareilly has reopened a decades-old loan default case and served a recovery notice to cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza, head of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, who was arrested following violence that broke out near Islamia grounds in Bareilly on September 26.Officials said on Thursday that Raza had taken a fertiliser and seed loan of Rs 5,560 in 1990 from Rasoolpur Kutti Sadhan Cooperative Society, which he never repaid. The case had remained dormant since 1997, when a bank audit marked the dues as unpaid. Although the then government announced a loan waiver for farmers in 1996, Raza’s account was reportedly not included in the relief.
Hari Babu Bharti, general manager of Budaun District Cooperative Bank, said the amount remained unpaid for over three decades despite multiple reminders. “The cleric never repaid the amount. Several notices have been served to him on multiple occasions,” he said, adding that the loan file was inactive for years and has now been revived as part of recent departmental scrutiny. Officials said a team has been sent to Raza’s residence in Bareilly to serve the recovery notice. With interest accrued over the years, the total dues now stand at Rs 28,386, and an additional 1% interest is also being considered. If the payment is not made within the stipulated time, the administration may initiate proceedings to attach Raza’s property to recover the amount.The recovery notice is part of a wider crackdown on alleged financial and administrative irregularities linked to Raza’s network. After his recent arrest, officials began reviewing pending cases and violations tied to his name. Authorities also flagged unauthorised power usage and illegal constructions connected to his premises. Subsequent action included demolition drives and fresh notices across multiple departments.The September 26 violence occurred during a protest connected to the ‘I love Muhammad’ campaign, which led to clashes in parts of the city. Police later named Raza as one of the key accused in the FIR and sent him to 14-day judicial custody. Since the violence, authorities have intensified action against Raza and his close aides. Police have registered multiple cases related to incitement, unlawful assembly, and damage to public property. The district administration has also carried out demolition drives against structures linked to his associates, sealed several premises over alleged illegal power connections, and launched inquiries into benami assets and funding sources tied to his organisations.Officials said the revival of the old loan case is in line with recent efforts to address pending liabilities and enforce compliance. Administrative sources added that similar dormant files linked to other individuals named in recent FIRs may also be reviewed.
