Tripura University VC resigns after TV channel shows him accepting bribe

Tripura Central University Vice Chancellor Vijaykumar Laxmikantrao Dharurkar resigned on Saturday, sources said, a day after a sting operation by a local television channel here showed him accepting a bribe from a contractor in Kolkata.

“We could document that he took ₹5,80,000 from a contractor, Surendra Sethia, representative of a printing firm, in Kolkata,” said Sebak Bhattacharya, the managing director and proprietor of TV channel News Vanguard.

“The VC was demanding 10 per cent of the printing work (give to the firm) as cut money. From the footage, it is clear he was regularly taking 10pc as cut money from all kinds of work in the Tripura Central university.” Bhattacharya claimed he had collected more documents related to the VC taking bribes, which would be telecast in a phased manner. The sting operation was telecast yesterday.

However, despite repeated endeavour, the VC could not be contacted.

The videos were shot in the VC’s office and at the private residence of the contractor in Kolkata, Bhattacharya said.

University sources said the VC resigned on Saturday and the senior-most professor of the university, Sangram Sinha, former dean of the Science Faculty, has taken over as the acting VC of the university.