CBI registers case against ex-VC, 3 others at Visva-Bharati

KOLKATA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against sacked VC Sushanta Dattagupta and three others of Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan. The investigating agency also raided the Visva-Bharati officer in Santiniketan over the alleged irregularities by the former VC in appointments.
CBI has registered a case against the then vice- chancellor; then registrar (presently registrar, IIT, Bhubaneswar); finance officer and deputy registrar, all of Visva Bharti University.
The case under section 120B of IPC r/w 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of P.C Act, 1988 has been registered in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy by the officials and in pursuance thereof, a deputy registrar was appointed in the university in violation of the laid down UGC rules.
According to the CBI case, the deputy registrar did not meet the educational criteria and had an age above the maximum age limit by at least 7 years.
Searches were conducted today at five premises in Shantiniketan; two in Kolkata and two premises in Bhubaneswar (Odisha) which led to recovery of relevant incriminating documents. Searches at some of the places are still continuing. Further investigation is on.
Dattagupta was sacked by President Pranab Mukherjee in February after a home ministry report on financial and administrative irregularities at the university.
He was accused of drawing salary from the Visva Bharati University and pension from JNU simultaneously. Under the law, he was required to have got his pension amount deducted from the pay he received from Visva Bharati.
Besides this, Dattagupta was charged with making irregular appointments, including that of the controller of examinations despite having no powers, and sanctioning key posts in violation of the Visva Bharati Act.
Dattagupta was appointed in 2011. He had challenged the legality of the ministry's fact-finding committee but his petition was dismissed by the Calcutta High Court
The university was founded by Rabindranath Tagore.