SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, Oct. 13: Jharkhand Governor-cum-Chancellor C P Radhakrishnan on Friday sacked Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Dhanbad-based Binod Bihari Mahato Koylanchal University, Prof. Sukhdev Bhoi, after serious corruption charges levelled against him were found to be true.
It was the first time that a vice-chancellor had been sacked on corruption charges in Jharkhand. The Governor took action against Bhoi after holding a consultation with Chief Minister Hemant Soren as mandated under the University Act.
Bhoi, who joined on June 26, 2022, was the second regular V-C of BBMKU after Dr Anjani Kumar Srivastava.
Notably, the Raj Bhawan had ordered an inquiry after it received many serious complaints from various levels against Bhoi. Thereafter, the State higher education department constituted a team to investigate the allegations.
In the light of the instructions of the Governor, the team conducted a thorough investigation and submitted the investigation report. In this, many serious complaints of administrative and financial irregularities by the vice chancellor were confirmed. After review, the conduct and actions of the vice-chancellor were not found to be in the interest of the university.
The governor ordered the dismissal of Bhoi for acting against the dignity of the post of vice-chancellor. He said that corruption at any level by any university in the State is not forgivable. Strict action will be taken against them, he has said.
Notably, Bhoi has been in the eye of the storm for the last couple of months. The investigation has found that Bhoi, violating the norms, opened an account in HDFC Bank in the name of BBMKU Sponsorship and Development Fund and realized a heavy amount from colleges and teachers of the university without obtaining permission from Raj Bhawan as well as the Higher Education department.
The university authorities realized Rs 7 lakh each from Dhanbad–Bokaro-based 22 BEd colleges, Rs 1 lakh each from constituent colleges, Rs 30,000 from university officers as well as heads of the department. The Bed colleges, which were reluctant to contribute to the development fund were threatened with cancellation of their affiliation.
Sources said even a donation of Rs 50,000 was taken out of the constituent college BEd teachers’ arrears.
A portion of the Rs 3.5 crore fund generated this way was used to purchase furniture and other things before the Raj Bhawan directed to dismantle the account.
The college principals who refused to contribute to the fund were threatened with a transfer order. At least 56 teachers and principals were transferred after they refused to follow the V-C’s diktat. This prompted a coterie in the university to begin a transfer-posting business. Sources said those who were ready to pay got postings in the headquarters and urban centres from interior colleges.
Bhoi had been in direct confrontation with the principal of SSLNT Women’s College Dr Sharmila Rani. He had transferred her to BSK College Maithon but Raj Bhawan stayed the order in June last.
Again, according to sources, the university floated a tender for opening a canteen in the university. But surprisingly, six canteens were opened at different spots on the university campus. The reason was obvious.
Again, a tender was floated for selecting an agency to supply manpower to the university, Ironically, the work order was issued to a company on December 23 last year before the deadline to submit the tenders ended on January 11. When it sparked off a controversy, the tender was cancelled taking an alibi that it was a temporary one.
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