Guwahati: Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi on Wednesday constituted a high-level inquiry committee to look into alleged financial irregularities by suspended Dibrugarh University Vice Chancellor Ranjit Kumar Tamuli.
According to a press release issued by Raj Bhavan, the committee will inquire into financial transactions and allegations of corruption, indiscipline, misuse of funds and powers of the university during the last five years.
The committee will be headed by former Judge, Gauhati High Court, Indira Shah, with Prof M P Bezbaruah of Gauhati University as member secretary and Senior Accounts Officer (Retd) of the Office of Principal Accountant General Dilip Kumar Dutta as its member.
The committee will also focus on the complaints received by the governor from Dibrugarh University Teachers Association, Dibrugarh University Officers Association, Dibrugarh University Employees Association, Lahowal BJP MLA Rituparna Baruah, alleging gross financial anomalies and misappropriation of funds by Tamuli, and the report of a fact-finding committee constituted in this matter.
Not satisfied with the VC’s explanation, the governor had constituted the fact-finding committee, under the chairmanship of commissioner and secretary to the higher education department, Preetom Saikia, to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.
After the panel submitted its report, the governor, in his capacity as the chancellor of Dibrugarh University, found “prima facie a case of grave misconduct, abuse of power and lack of commitment on the part of the vice chancellor”.
On February 11, the governor suspended the vice chancellor with immediate effect over allegations of financial irregularities and misuse of public fund.
The governor handed over the charge of the vice chancellor’s office to Dean, Faculty of Biological Sciences, RNS Yadav, who also happens to be the senior-most professor of the university.
After perusal of the report submitted by the fact-finding committee and consideration of facts and materials available on record, the governor has found prima facie case warranting a detailed inquiry to be conducted by a high-level inquiry committee, the release said.
