Even as the State government ordered the closure of the Peace International School in Kochi over the adoption of non-secular textbooks, the police have intensified efforts to trace M.M. Akber, managing director of the Kozhikode-based Peace Educational Foundation.
Officials have received reliable information about the current location of Mr.Akber, who has been absconding for over a year now. “Interrogating Mr. Akber, who is currently outside the country, is crucial in ascertaining whether the decision to adopt the texts by Burooj Realisation, publisher of the controversial books, was deliberate or not,’’ they said.
During the interrogation, office-bearers of the Mumbai-based publication had told the police that the syllabus of these books was prepared in consultation with the educational foundation. The police had earlier arrested three persons associated with Burooj Realisation, including its secretary, content editor of the controversial texts and the persons who designed the books. After the interrogation, they were handed over to the Mumbai police.
ADVERTISEMENT
The City police had earlier registered a First Information Report against the principal, administrator, and the three managing committee members of the school under Section 153(A) of the IPC on the charge of promoting enmity among different groups on the ground of religion.