Trouble Continues To Mount On USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Haque

Guwahati: Chancellor of Meghalaya-based private university, USTM (University of Science & Technology Meghalaya), Mahbubul Haque, who was arrested on the night of February 21, is currently in judicial custody. However, trouble seems to be mounting on him, even as the Gauhati High Court is expected to deliver the verdict on his first bail petition on Monday.

Meanwhile, the USTM chancellor's arrest has also started a political power game between the government of Meghalaya and Assam. It may be mentioned that the university campus is situated in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya, bordering the city of Guwahati in Assam.

After allegations of irregularities surfaced against the university and its chancellor, Mahbubul Haque, on Saturday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the university has no irregularities. He said, "Only my Assam counterpart can say as to what irregularities he is talking about."

However, the fact of the matter is that Haque has been arrested by Assam Police, not for any irregularities in documentation of USTM, but for allegedly promising students to help them in unfair practice to pass the 12th Board Exams.

The situation at Central Public School in Patharkandi area of Sribhumi turned hostile as more than 240 students, who went to appear for the exams there from places like Kamrup, Goalpara, and Barpeta, alleged that they were not helped as promised. Acting on this, police arrested Haque from his Guwahati residence on the night of February 21.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, meanwhile, on Thursday said that some people are trying to commercialise education, which the state government will not tolerate. He said, "For long, I have been watching a nexus that is ahead of Medical, Engineering, and CBSE exams; the center of the students is changed, and they are taken to some particular schools. 247 students from Goalpara, Kamrup, and Barpeta were taken to Patharkandi in Barak Valley, assuring them more than 30 marks. Later, when they didn’t get the chance there, the students protested, and the entire nexus came out in the open. This is not just limited to CBSE; it has been going on in medical entrance also, and this fraud practice has come to our knowledge."

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He further added, "I have been telling you for long that this man is a very big fraud. He is all about fraud. Some intellectuals from Assam were lured by him to mislead the people. Gradually, things are coming out. We will ensure that education is not made into a market commodity in Assam."

On the other hand, last Thursday, that is, on February 27, Haque was brought to Guwahati as the police wanted to search his home. During the search, Haque's private security also frisked the police officers and personnel who went to search his house, evoking a wide social media uproar. However, police and the Chief Minister later clarified that it is part of the procedure laid down in Section 100(3) of CrPC, 1973.

Later, on Friday, that is, on February 28, police made a request to search the university campus in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya; however, Meghalaya police blocked the request.

Haque's first bail petition in the Gauhati High Court is up for verdict tomorrow, whereas sources have told us that a second bail petition will be filed tomorrow.

Republic Media Network tried to reach out to Mahbubul Haque's family and visited the house; however, no one was available, and the security guards told us that everyone is out of station. No one from USTM could be reached for their reaction.