Meghalaya varsity chancellor granted interim bail released from jail

    Guwahati, Mar 24 (PTI) The Gauhati High Court on Monday granted interim bail to the chancellor of Meghalaya's University of Science and Technology (USTM) Mahbabul Haque, who was arrested for allegedly promising students to allow unfair means in exams to score high marks.
    Haque was subsequently released from the Tezpur Central Jail.
    Justice Mitali Thakuria granted interim bail to the petitioner with certain conditions, which include requiring Haque's full cooperation in the probe, mandatory appearance before the investigating officer when required, and strict prohibition on making any inducement, threat or promise to influence individuals acquainted with the case.
    He was also asked to furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 along with an additional surety of an equal amount.
    The judge also noted that the petitioner had established a ''strong ground for grant of bail, but for abundant caution it is felt just and proper to go through the case diary''.
    The court fixed the next date of hearing and production of the case diary on April 9.
    Haque, who was lodged in Tezpur Central Jail since March 13, was released from prison after completion of formalities around 6.30 pm and left for Guwahati amid tight security.
    The chancellor, on his release, did not reply to questions of media persons but only said “thank you, Tezpur”.
    His bail plea in the same case was rejected on March 18 by the Sonitpur Judicial Magistrate on the ground that he was arrested under several non-bailable sections of relevant laws.
    Haque, along with five teachers of a school in Patharkandi of Sribhumi district, were arrested on February 22 from Guwahati and sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.
    He was brought to Guwahati on February 28 from Sribhumi at Dispur police station and later taken to his residence at Ghoramara area of the city.
    The USTM chancellor, who also heads the ERD Foundation, operates various educational institutions, including a school at Patharkandi, was later taken back to Sribhumi.
    Five teachers of the school were also arrested following allegations that students from other districts were appearing for their class 12 CBSE board exams there, following assurance of use of unfair means for them to score high marks.
    Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier remarked that the USTM Chancellor will be in jail for a long time.
    Sarma had also alleged that Haque is a “big fraud, his entire background is fraud”.
    Haque was embroiled in a controversy last year, too, over his OBC certificate, which he had obtained “fraudulently” in Sribhumi district in the 1990s.
    Sarma had said in August that a police case would be registered against the USTM chancellor for allegedly fraudulently obtaining the OBC certificate, which was cancelled subsequently.
    The CM had also held the USTM and Haque responsible for “flood jihad” against Guwahati, claiming that the water flowing down from the varsity campus, which is located on a hill adjacent to the city, leads to massive flooding.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)