Principal caught in corruptions in Assam

Anjan Kumar Bhattacharjee , principal of Hojai College was suspended from service on July 7, 2008. He was caught on serious financial irregularities and appointment anomalies that took place during 5 years after he took charge of the college. Earlier, the college GB had placed him under suspension after receiving the findings of two enquiry committees constituted by it in the matter of appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff as well as college fund. Bhattacharjee had misappropriated nearly Rs 75 lakh from the college funds. He was dismissed by The Director of Higher Education, Assam by order No. G(B) AC 29/2004/287-A dtd June 15. It may be mentioned that Hojai College Teachers’ Association had in the year 2006 severed an ultimatum to the GB demanding an enquiry into the gross anomalies in financial and appointment matters of the College. The GB constituted two enquiry committees and on the basis of the findings, the former on November 2006 withdrew secretaryship from Anjan Kr Bhattacharjee and served him show cause notice. The GB on March 5, 2007 discussed the principals’ explanations and rejected it as vague and unacceptable. In the meeting, a resolution to suspend the principal was adopted and forwarded to the DHE to accord approval. But the then DHE kept pending his approval for seven months thus trying to protect AK Bhattacharjee. In the meantime three more enquiries by government agencies like joint director of higher education, deputy director, higher education and the SDO (Civil) Hojai were instituted which found the lapses serious . Even the chief vigilance commissioner took up the matter of charges of massive corruption against the principal which ultimately compelled the authorities to approve the suspension resolution drawn up against AK Bhattacharjee. Meanwhile, disciplinary proceedings after his suspension were drawn up levelling 24 charges against AK Bhattacharjee with Miss Uma Bhowmick, ex-principal, Lumding College as enquiry officer who submitted the charges are serious and evidence in support of findings are quite conclusive and beyond any doubts” and the GB accepted the report and adopted a resolution on July 10 last year to dismiss AK Bhattacharjee from service and the DHE accorded approval. According to enquiry reports, the principal misappropriated Rs 74,67,780 which included college dev fund, Buniyad scheme, UGC grants, local MLA fund, students aid fund etc. from May 2001, till his secretaryship was withdrawn. His suspension has been welcomed by Hojai public cutting across all sections and hailed the positive role played by the college governing body headed by Dr AK Dey, ex-minister. AK Bhattacharjee is a non indigenous Brahmin of Bengal origin, a refugee from Bangladesh. Why not these Brahmins do goes back to the place from where they came? They are a curse to the Assam / N.E.