Mooshahary urges dissolution of CMJ varsity, CBI probe

Meghalaya Governor R.S. Mooshahary Friday asked the state government to dissolve the controversial CMJ University and hand over the investigation of its fraud to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"Along with the dissolution of the university, the governor has also suggested to the government to transfer the investigation to the CBI in case the state CID is finding it difficult in view of the extensive ramifications of the case," said M.S.Rao, the principal secretary to the governor.

The CID, investigating the alleged lapses of CMJ University, unearthed a number of irregularities in its functioning. It has arrested the varsity's registrar, Mrinal Kanti Deb, deputy registrar Premlal Rai, university director Manjeet Kaur, and human resource manager Juban Kharpuri on charges of fraud and cheating.

However, the CID sleuths have not been able to arrest varsity chancellor Chandra Mohan Jha, as he has gone into hiding ever since Mooshahary exposed the irregularities of the varsity.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had hinted that the government may ask CBI to probe the varsity's University's functioning.

"FIRs (First Information Reports) have been filed in different cities of the country. We are looking if the case should be handed over to a central agency," Sangma said.

Mooshahary, who is also the visitor to the private varsity, had recommended the government to dissolve the university as per Section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009.

The state regulatory board for higher education has also recommended the same.

"The regulatory board has recommended the government to wind up the CMJ University based on its findings on the irregularities into the functioning of the university," Education Minister Roytre Christopher Laloo told IANS.

Following the board's recommendation, Laloo said the government will issue a show cause notice to the CMJ University.

The university was established by an act passed by the state legislature in 2009 while it started functioning from Oct 17, 2010. It is alleged to have issued a large number of fake PhDs.

CMJ University had been running distance education centres outside the state, in other parts of the country as well as in some centres abroad, in breach of University Grants Commission regulations and guidelines.

On Monday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) constituted a nine-member expert committee headed by Tezpur University Vice Chancellor Mihir K. Chaudhury to look into alleged irregularities committed by the private university.