In a significant interim order that effectively places the financial administration of the Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (HIMSR) under the supervision of a military officer, the Supreme Court of India has paved the way for 199 medical students to secure admissions for the academic year 2026-27.
The bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a slew of directives on Wednesday related to all such matters of Jamia Hamdard and HIMSR.
The Supreme Court order sends a powerful legal message to the trustees, management, students and the wider academic community by vesting authority over all financial matters in Colonel Tahir Mustafa, a serving Indian Army officer appointed Registrar of Jamia Hamdard in July 2025 during a bitter succession dispute within the Hamdard family.
Sources indicate that the Colonel, who previously served as the Director of the Centre for Automated Military Survey (CAMS) and Head of the Border Cell at the Ministry of External Affairs, had also petitioned the court for a neutral oversight mechanism.
Trustee Dispute and Financial Concerns Under Scrutiny
Conversations with various legal sources, reviewed by Bharat Express, revealed that a longstanding tug of war between two trustee factions had turned the institution into a battleground for financial siphoning.
The various sources reveal this assertion that ‘Private parties were trying to control the accounts’, and that the university’s ‘character and pattern’ had become one of destroying academic standards.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate and former Union Minister P Chidambaram, representing the respondents, raised serious red flags regarding compliance. He pointed out that the institution was operating without a functional Finance Committee or Executive Committee, effectively running in an ad-hoc manner.
“Mr Chidambaram submitted that if the ED or CBI raids happen tomorrow, the Registrar would be held responsible,” a source familiar with the matter told Bharat Express.
The counsel highlighted the absence of statutory bodies and flagged a CAG audit report, which had earlier alleged a staggering diversion of funds amounting to ₹813 crore between 2011 and 2023.
The Apex Court took strong cognisance of these submissions.
The bench observed that, given the ‘peculiar facts of this case’, specifically the arbitral dispute between two branches of the family, the presence of a neutral, high-ranking government officer was essential.
While the petitioners (Asad Mueed & Ors) had sought directives to compel the university to issue a formal Consent of Affiliation, the court went a step beyond the prayers. It appointed Colonel Tahir Mustafa as the de facto financial controller.
“In continuation of our earlier order dated 11.02.2026, we observe that the Consent of Affiliation is deemed to have been granted by the first respondent-University in favour of the third petitioner-institution subject to the result of this Special Leave Petition for the academic year 2026-2027,” the court ordered.
Registrar to Monitor Fee Collections
Crucially, the Supreme Court directed the submission of all fee payments for the 150 MBBS seats and 49 postgraduate seats to the Registrar.
The petitioner-college must maintain separate accounts and submit details of fees and payment records to Colonel Mustafa’s office.
“Now the Supreme Court has put the Registrar under direct supervision. Neither the HIMSR management nor the University can pressure him. All accounts will go through a neutral military officer,” a legal expert involved in the case confirmed.
With the interim order in place, the Supreme Court directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to restore access to the UG portal for HIMSR.
The order effectively validates the admission process strictly through NEET rankings, putting an end to the arbitrary blocks imposed by the university management.
The bench specifically noted that the pendency of the SLP would not prevent the High Court from adjudicating the matter. It, however, granted Colonel Tahir Mustafa the status of a ‘neutral observer’, citing the need to protect the interests of students caught in the crossfire of a family dispute.
Also Read: Delhi High Court Grants Interim Relief To Varun Dhawan In Personality Rights Case
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
