Bihar Guv gives prosecution nod against ex-VC, nine top varsity officials

Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, on Tuesday granted prosecution sanction against former Magadh University Vice Chancellor Rajendra Prasad and nine other senior officials in a corruption case.

“I am directed to say that the Chancellor, after taking into consideration the material available on record and finding prima face case against the following accused whose appointing authority is the Chancellor, has been pleased to accord prosecution sanction,” said a letter from Robert L Chongthu, principal secretary to Governor, to additional director general of police, Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) of Bihar.

The letter has been seen by HT.

While Prasad spent nearly eight months in jail and is at present on bail, five other accused have also got bail. Other accused against whom prosecution sanction has been accorded include former MU finance officers Pyare Mohan Sahay, Dharmendra Tripathi and Kauleshwar Prasad Sah, former registrars Siddhinath Prasad Yadav, Pushpendra Kumar Verma and Jitendra Kumar, the then financial advisor Om Prakash, former finance officer and registrar of Veer Kuer Singh University Sushil Yadav and Dhirendra Singh respectively.

SVU had sought prosecution sanction against 29 accused in March this year. The Chancellor said that for the rest, the prosecution sanction was not required from him as he was not their appointing authority. For the rest, SVU has been asked to approach the proper authorities, which is the vice chancellor of the universities concerned.

The SVU chief, additional director general NH Khan, said after the prosecution sanction, the investigating agency would pray before the court for trial, plead for cancellation of the bail of the accused and arrest of those who have not been arrested so far. “We have already filed charge sheet against all the accused. The case has moved fast so far,” he said.

In its 1000-page charge sheet, SVU has given details of disproportionate income of the Prasad during his tenure as MU VC and acting VC of Veer Kunwar Singh University (Ara), which was estimated to 10 times more than his known sources of income.

Prasad had to quit and proceed on medical leave after the SVU conducted raids at his office and residence on November 17, 2021.

The SVU charge sheet said that Prasad and his subordinates were involved in financial irregularities to the tune of ₹18 crore in the two universities in purchases of various items. It is the first case of its kind when top university officials have been involved in a case of financial irregularity of this magnitude and faced the music.