Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Meghalaya government’s 2014 decision to dissolve CMJ University, citing severe administrative and academic misconduct.
The verdict follows allegations of mismanagement, financial irregularities, and fraudulent intent, which were found to be substantiated.
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A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the Meghalaya High Court’s 2021 order that had called for a reconsideration of the dissolution.
The apex court validated the state governor’s recommendations to remove Chandra Mohan Jha as chancellor and shut down the university. As a result, degrees issued without proper regulatory approvals including Ph.D., M.Phil, and B.Ed stand revoked.
The court criticized the High Court’s division bench for remitting the case to a single judge for review, emphasizing that the state’s decision was based on extensive evidence of violations.
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These included unauthorized off-campus centers, financial discrepancies, failure to submit mandatory reports, and the illegal appointment of the chancellor, which led to further unlawful administrative decisions.
The Supreme Court highlighted that CMJ University was given multiple opportunities to rectify its shortcomings but failed to comply.
It also noted that Jha’s self-appointment as chancellor lacked the necessary approval from the governor, rendering all subsequent appointments, including that of the vice-chancellor, illegal.
The dissolution has triggered criminal investigations by Meghalaya police against the university, Jha, and his family members who were trustees of the CMJ Foundation for allegedly defrauding students by selling fake degree certificates.
Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a money laundering case linked to the scam. Between 2010 and 2013, CMJ University allegedly issued over 20,570 fraudulent degrees, with proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 83.52 crore.
The ED has already attached properties worth Rs 48.76 crore as part of its crackdown on the institution’s fraudulent activities.