MUMBAI, June 19 -- The directorate of technical education (DTE) has taken stringent action against allegedly unauthorised courses being conducted on the premises of Baliram Hiray College of Architecture in Bandra. The department has ordered the immediate closure of the courses, directed the institute to refund fees to 131 students within 30 days, and initiated steps for criminal action against the management and other officials responsible. The fees paid by the students range from Rs.90,000 to Rs.2.5 lakh. The institute has been asked to submit proof of the refunds to the directorate after completing them. The action came after it was found that courses titled BSc and BVoc In Interior Design were being run under the name of Hiray School of Design without the necessary approvals. Affected students had earlier staged a protest outside the college, demanding justice and action against the institution. This batch, the first to graduate from the college, had completed the three-year interior design degree course but did not receive their degrees and marksheets, as promised, from the Manipur-based Sangai International University, to which their college was affiliated. Sangai International University was derecognised by the Grants Commission in 2024, putting a question mark on their academic credentials. Hiray College then secured a new affiliation with the Sikkim International University, and issued marksheets under its name. However, the students alleged that the documents were not valid and contained several discrepancies. The inquiry was conducted by the directorate after a complaint was filed by Adv Santosh Gangurde, state general secretary of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS). According to the inquiry report, the courses led to both academic and financial losses for students. Based on the findings, the department has also imposed a penalty of Rs.5 lakh each on institute administrator Prasad Hiray, principal Sunil Magdum and the concerned course coordinator....