The 13-year-old legal dispute in the Bombay High Court over renting out the premises of the historical 189-year-old Robert Money Technical High School and Junior College, Grant Road, to an international school, has been settled. The disputing groups have signed consent terms and have withdrawn all claims and allegations against each other.
According to the consent terms, the international school will continue to run after approvals from the Charity Commissioner which is hearing disputes relating to the trusts that own the school land. However, Protestant Christian groups, who have been opposing the conversion of an institution set up for educating poor children into an elite international school, said they would challenge the agreement.
The dispute over the school land began in December 2011 when the Bombay Diocesan Society, a trust from the Church of North India (CNI) which claims to be the custodian of the school land, signed a tenancy agreement with a group that planned an international school there. The old school, which combined a formal curriculum with industrial skills, was shut down.
The transfer of the school land and three buildings was challenged and called ‘illegal’ by the Bombay Diocesan Trust Association Private Limited, another church trust which claimed rights over the property. On November 28, 2019, the Bombay High Court appointed a Court Receiver and asked the international school to deposit Rs 33 lakhs per month as royalty for using the school property from January 2020 onwards. The group has deposited Rs 17.82 crores till June 2024.
In July 2024, the parties in the dispute signed consent terms and withdrew all allegations and claims against each other inter-se with certain terms and conditions. The consent terms said that new buildings in the premises will be used only for educational purposes. In October 2024, the Bombay High Court disposed of the suit in view of the consent terms. The Court Receiver was discharged. James Baker, BDTA trustee, said that the school will continue functioning but will need the approval of the Charity Commissioner, the body that has jurisdiction over public trusts. “As far as the Bombay High Court is concerned, the dispute is over. We had challenged how the tenancy was given to a third party,” said Baker.
The Bombay Diocesan Society and the international school did not respond to calls and messages asking for their response to the developments. The Charity Commissioner is hearing, among other things, a dispute between different groups, each claiming to be the BDTA. Church members are unhappy with the development. Advocate Cyril Dara, church activist and Secretary of the Christian Reform United People Association (CRUPA), said they will challenge the agreement. “The consent terms are very harmful for the Christian community.
The property was already illegally handed over to a third party in 2011. The Robert Money Technical High School and Junior College is being closed down completely which was built with a purpose to benefit the poor and underprivileged children students by a father in memory of his son. Now they must be cursing from heaven,” said Dara.Dara said that the members of the trusts that signed the consent terms are neither elected nor recognised by the Charity Commissioner. “But the deal has been accepted. The property is gone to the third party and is subject to the permission of the Charity Commissioner. However, the best part is that to date there is no permission from the Charity Commissioner’s office but still crores of rupees are being exchanged and the property is with a third party,” added Dara. “The Christian Community needs to be alert, wake up, and protect their property.
The Robert Money Technical High School and Junior College, along with the playground should be immediately restored to the community.
