USTM founder Mahbubul Hoque arrested by Assam police for promising to assist students in CBSE exam

On 21st February, Assam Police arrested the founder and Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, Mahbubul Hoque, from his residence in Guwahati. Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior police official said, “Prima facie, it seems to be a case of massive criminal conspiracy having a larger sinister design.” It has been alleged that students were assured assistance in the 30-mark MCQ section of their CBSE Class 12 exams in the school in Patharkandi. Mahbubul Haque was arrested from his residence in Guwahati’s Ghoramara in the intervening night of February 21 and 22 by a police team comprising Panbazar Police and Special Task Force of the Assam Police. Arrest follows repeated attacks by Assam CM Notably, a few days ago, the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, laid fresh allegations against Hoque, suggesting that USTM was a “fraudulent” institution issuing “fake certificates and degrees.” The university, however, dismissed the claim, saying it was “unfounded.” CM Sarma, in August last year, accused the university of being involved in construction activities that led to flash floods in Guwahati.