Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Monday granted bail to Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), in connection with the CBSE exam irregularities case registered in Sribhumi’s Patharkandi.
Authorities arrested Hoque on charges of examination fraud under case number 54/2025 and brought him back to Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj) on Friday evening as the Gauhati High Court considered his bail petition.
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The court delivered its verdict on the first petition on March 3, and the defense filed the second bail plea on Monday.
Sribhumi Police arrested Hoque on February 21 and later transferred him to Dispur Police Station for further investigation.
On February 24, he appeared before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Sribhumi district.
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Before his court appearance, Hoque underwent a medical examination at Karimganj Civil Hospital. He had been taken from Karimganj Sadar Police Station for the examination.
The police arrested Hoque and five teachers after an FIR alleged they granted student promotions in exchange for bribes.
The five arrested individuals include Hiramani Saikia, Principal of Central Public School; Vijay Dutta, Rezak Ali, and Imdadur Rahman (teachers).
After completing their remand period, authorities produced them before the court on Sunday around 5 pm.
Earlier that day, authorities transferred Hoque and co-accused Numaan Ahmed from Dispur Police Station to Karimganj Police Station.
Since Sribhumi Police did not request a further remand, the court ordered Hoque’s transfer to judicial custody.
The arrests have sparked strong reactions within academic circles in both Meghalaya and Assam.
Hundreds of USTM students and faculty gathered at Dispur Police Station on Friday, leading to heavy police and paramilitary deployment.
The controversy intensified when Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that Hoque would face a long jail term.
His remarks triggered outrage, with critics accusing him of undermining the judicial process.
Meghalaya-based commentator Goera Pantora Cherian Momin condemned Sarma’s comments on social media, accusing him of acting as “judge, jury, and executioner.”