Sribhumi, March 1: The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate has ordered the transfer of USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Haque to Sribhumi District Jail after the police chose not to seek an extension of his remand. Haque, along with five other accused, was released from police custody following the completion of their four-day remand period.
Haque was presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Sribhumi district on Monday after undergoing a mandatory medical examination at Karimganj Civil Hospital. He, along with co-accused Hiramani Saikia, Bijoy Dutta, Rezzak Ali, Numaan Ahmed, and Imdadur Rahman, had been remanded to police custody on February 25 in connection with an ongoing investigation.
After their remand ended, all six were brought before the court around 5 pm today. Haque and Numaan Ahmed had been transferred from Dispur Police Station to Karimganj Police Station earlier in the day.
Speaking to the media outside the court, Haque urged journalists to focus on the achievements of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), rather than his personal legal matters. “Come to USTM and highlight the contributions of our students, teachers, and faculty members,” he said.
Addressing allegations of malpractice in Patharkandi, Haque defended the university’s staff, stating, “Our teachers have not engaged in any wrongdoing. We will reward them for their integrity.” He also dismissed accusations of accepting Rs 5 lakh, clarifying that the ERD Foundation’s ‘Vision 50’ initiative aims to educate underprivileged children from 50 villages. “At USTM, 80% of students study free of cost. The question of money does not arise,” he asserted.
The case has drawn significant attention, with many awaiting further developments as the investigation continues.
