USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Haque Arrested Over Alleged Criminal Conspiracy

New Delhi: In a dramatic turn of events, Mahbubul Haque, Chancellor of the University of Science & Technology Meghalaya (USTM), was arrested last night from his residence in Guwahati by the Sribhumi district police. The arrest follows allegations of criminal conspiracy and a deteriorating law-and-order situation at one of his educational institutions.  

The controversy stems from a recent incident at Central Public School (CPS), a Guwahati-based institution operated under the ERD Foundation, which also manages USTM. The school serves as a centre for the 12th Standard CBSE examinations. On Friday, during the Physics exam, tensions flared when 214 out of 274 students claimed they were misled about their enrollment and exam arrangements.  

According to reports, these 214 students were officially enrolled at CPS Patharkandi but had never attended classes there. Instead, they were part of Vision-50, a special coaching program run by USTM in Guwahati. The students alleged that they were promised assistance from invigilators during the exam to ensure their success, a promise that was not fulfilled. 

The situation escalated when the students discovered that 45 of their peers, who were regular CPS attendees, allegedly received unfair assistance from invigilators and faculty members during the exam. This led to protests by the aggrieved students, many of whom claimed they were unaware of their enrollment at CPS Patharkandi and believed they were solely USTM Vision-50 students.  

The Assam Police’s Special Task Force has indicated that a larger conspiracy may be at play, with further investigations underway. Authorities have yet to release detailed findings, but sources suggest that more revelations are expected in the coming days.  

USTM officials have remained silent on the matter, with no official statement released as of now. The arrest of Haque, who has been under scrutiny for nearly a year over alleged irregularities in the construction of USTM’s campus in Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi district, marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation.  

As the case unfolds, stakeholders await clarity on the allegations and the potential implications for the institutions involved.