Guwahati, Feb 11 (IANS): Dibrugarh University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Ranjit Tamuli was suspended by Governor Jagadish Mukhi on Thursday following allegations of financial irregularities and misuse of public funds, Raj Bhawan officials said.
The officials said that the Governor as Chancellor of Dibrugarh University suspended the VC and handed over the charge to Prof. R. N. S. Yadav, a professor at the Department of Life Sciences and the Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, as he is the senior most professor of the state varsity.
An Assam Raj Bhawan release also said that various organisations and individuals including Dibrugarh University Teachers' Association, Dibrugarh University Officers' Association, Dibrugarh University Employees' Association and elected representatives had earlier submitted petitions to the Governor complaining gross allegations of financial anomalies and misappropriation of funds against Tamuli.
"Not satisfied with the explanation of Prof. Ranjit Tamuli, the Governor, in order to ascertain veracity of the allegations and find out the true facts, constituted a fact finding committee under the Chairmanship of Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam's Higher Education Department Preetom Saikia. After the three-member committee report, the Governor suspended the VC," the release said.
It said that the fact finding committee found prima facie a case of grave misconduct, abuse of power and lack of commitment on the part of Prof. Tamuli.
The Governor at the same time decided to appoint a high level enquiry committee to go into details of functioning of the Dibrugarh University for the last five years including these allegations and matters related Ato financial transaction and administration, corruption, discipline, misuse of funds, misuse of powers among other aspects of university governance.
"The decision for immediate suspension has been taken to ensure that witnesses are not influenced or coerced in any way and material records of the University are not tampered with in any manner whatsoever and for ensuring a fair enquiry," the release said.