The Gauhati High Court has issued notices to Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi and others for alleged financial irregularities in three state universities and one central varsity.
Governor Mukhi is the chancellor of all the four universities–Tezpur University, Assam Agricultural University, Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University.
Hearing a PIL filed by NGO Amguri Naba Nirman Samity, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Soumitra Saikia issued the notices.
The petitioner in its PIL filed last year mentioned that “certain allegations had been made against the officers for misuse of funds of four universities, namely, Tezpur University, Assam Agricultural University, Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University”.
The court had then disposed of the case, asking the organization to first approach the chancellor of the universities, and then appear before it again if the petitioner was not happy with the response.
“Now, the petitioner has approached this court again stating that although they have approached the Chancellor on 22.03.2021, but nothing seems to have happened,” the high court said.
Besides the chancellor, the HC has sent notices to the UGC, State Education Department, Chief Secretary, Higher Education Director, Comptroller of Assam Agriculture University, Registrars of Gauhati, Dibrugarh and Tezpur universities, DGP and SP of the Chief Minister’s Vigilance Cell.
“The respondents may file their reply within three weeks,” the bench said in its order.