WB Governor asks former interim VC of JU to ‘return’ money spent on ‘illegal convocation’
Governor Ananda Bose, who is the chancellor of all state-run universities, removed Bhaskar Gupta, the interim vice chancellor of JU, on March 27.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has asked the former interim vice chancellor of Jadavpur University (JU) to return the money which was “unauthorisedly expended” to organise the “illegal convocation” in December 2024.
Bose, who is the chancellor of all state-run universities including Jadavpur, removed Bhaskar Gupta, the interim vice chancellor of JU, on March 27. Gupta was scheduled to retire on March 31.
“It is imperative to recover the university fund unauthorisedly expended by you for the conduct of the illegal convocation. Since you have not furnished any report on the expenses incurred, you will ascertain the same from the university office, remit the same in the bank and report compliance immediately failing which further action will be initiated to realise the amount from you,” stated a letter sent to Gupta by the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Saturday.
Bose had earlier dubbed the December 24 convocation as “illegal” and directed varsity authorities to follow all rules and regulations. The varsity had gone ahead with its convocation following an executive meeting, without the approval of the chancellor.
“I am not giving any importance to this. He (Bose) had done this earlier too. I have already informed the state administration and the state education minister. Now it is up to them. I will extend all my cooperation. Do you think it is so easy to illegally hold a university convocation?” Gupta told the media.
In 2023, when Bose removed the then university’s interim vice chancellor Buddhadeb Sau, the state higher education department was quick to reinstate him citing Supreme Court orders and allowed the convocation to be held without the Governor’s approval. Bose skipped the event.
The Raj Bhavan had then warned that Sau would be probed and that it was seeking legal opinions to explore whether the expenses of the ‘unauthorised’ convocation could be deducted from his salary.
“The chancellor has said that public money incurred on this unauthorised convocation will be recovered from the salary of the VC and others responsible. The chancellor is seeking legal opinions on this,” a Raj Bhavan official had then said.
