Guwahati: Mahbubul Hoque, the Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) was detained by a joint team of police and the Special Task Force (STF) from his residence in Guwahati, Assam.
While there was no clear statement behind the reason for the arrest, it has now been reported that the USTM founder was arrested over allegations of taking money in exchange for facilitating unfair means during the CBSE Class 12 Physics examination.
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According to reports, 274 students appeared for the Physics exam at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Assam’s Sribhumi district, including 45 from the school and 214 from the ERD Group (A foundation run by Haque).
Allegedly, arrangements were made to assist ERD Foundation students during the exam in exchange for money, but when they did not receive the promised help, chaos erupted at the exam centre.
The police and STF launched an investigation after complaints surfaced about the institution’s involvement in malpractice.
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Hoque was taken to Panbazar Police Station in the wee hours of Saturday.
It may be mentioned that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had recently alleged widespread fraud, issuance of fake degrees, and financial irregularities at USTM.
Former MP and senior Congress leader Ripun Bora also condemned the arrest of the USTM founder.
Bora in a post on X said, “I strongly condemned the arrest of USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Haque at midnight by Assam Police. For the past few months, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has been attacking Mr Haque, a renowned educationist from the North East, for his vested interests”
CM Sarma criticized Hoque, stating that “the head of USTM himself is a fraud” and that the institution has been issuing fake certificates to students.