GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court on Monday granted interim bail to the Chancellor of University of Science and Technology (USTM), Mahbubul Hoque in the sixth case registered against him for alleged unfair exam practices.
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Senior advocate of Gauhati High Court and Hoque’s counsel Angshuman Bora said certain proceedings were left to be completed in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Dhekiajuli. “After that, and if no further cases are registered or arrest made, Hoque can be released from prison,” he said.
Hoque was earlier granted bail in two cases in Sribhumi while proceedings in three other cases were stayed.
Hoque was first arrested on February 22 following allegations from 274 students who appeared for the Class 12 CBSE Physics exam at Central Public School, Patharkandi in Sribhumi district. The school is managed by the ERD Foundation, whose chairman is Hoque. On March 3, the High Court granted him bail in the first case filed by Patharkandi police. The controversy stems from USTM’s “Vision 50 Programme,” under which 214 students—mostly from outside the region—were allegedly enrolled at Central Public School without attending classes there. These students had reportedly been taking coaching at USTM’s Guwahati campus instead. Allegations surfaced that students were assured of assistance during the exam, but on the day of the test, they were left without help, leading to chaos.
