Assam to Prosecute Meghalaya University VC for Fraudulent OBC Certificate

The Assam government has announced plans to file a criminal case against the vice-chancellor of a private university in Meghalaya. The allegation is that the vice-chancellor, Mahbabul Haque of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), fraudulently obtained an Other Backward Class (OBC) certificate in 1992. The certificate was subsequently revoked in 1996 after it was found Haque did not meet the eligibility criteria for OBC status. Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, stated that despite the cancellation, no legal action was taken against Haque, but the government will now pursue charges. This development comes after Sarma earlier accused the university and its VC of contributing to ‘flood jihad’ in Guwahati, claiming the institution damaged surrounding hills, leading to flooding in the city. The university is located on a hill bordering Guwahati.