DIBRUGARH: Dr Hari Chandra Mahanta, Registrar and Dr Diganta Bora, Deputy Registrar (Finance & Accounts) of Dibrugarh University have been placed under suspension on February 3 over allegations of financial irregularities.
The university executive council has suspended the key officials with immediate effect.
Dr Mahanta has been suspended under Article 7 of Ordinance for the post of the registrar, Dibrugarh University, 1970 (as amended in April 2008), Dr Borah has been suspended under Article 32 of Dibrugarh University Employees Service Conditions Ordinance (amended upto May 2007).
An official release undersigned by the varsity's Vice-Chancellor Professor Ranjit Tamuli read that registrar Dr Hari Kumar Mahanta and deputy registrar (F&A) Dr Diganta Borah have been suspended with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, Dr Parmananda Sonowal, Joint Registrar (Administration) of the university has been appointed Deputy Registrar In-Charge and Professor Jiten Hazarika, Department of Statistics and Director I/C of DODL has been appointed registrar in-charge of the university until disciplinary proceedings into Dr Mahanta and Dr Bora are completed by the executive council.
The development comes following massive protests by the students of the university against alleged mismanagement, misuse of the position of the office and financial irregularities.
The Dibrugarh University Teachers' Association (DUTA) also recently appealed to the Assam governor-cum-chancellor of the university to institute a high-level probe into the alleged financial irregularities and misuse of public funds.
Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi ordered for a four-member fact-finding committee to inquire into the alleged financial irregularities involving the Dibrugarh University vice-chancellor.
On February 2, Commissioner and Secretary to the governor of Assam S S Minaxi Sundaram issued an order stating that the attention of the Chancellor of Dibrugarh University was drawn to news published both in print and electronic media and allegations submitted by the Dibrugarh University Teachers' Association on financial irregularities allegedly indulged by Professor Ranjit Tamuli, the Vice-Chancellor of Dibrugarh University.
The four-member team will be led by Preetom Saikia, Commissioner, and Secretary of the Secondary Education Department. The other members include the commissioner of upper Assam Moloy Bora, scientific officers of the Assam directorate of forensic science, Rajiv Sensua and Israphil Musahari.