Guwahati, March 3: The Gauhati High Court on Monday granted bail to Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), in the first of two cases filed against him for alleged malpractice during the CBSE Class 12 Physics examination. A verdict on his second bail plea is expected on Tuesday.
Hoque was arrested on February 21 from his Ghoramara residence after a complaint was lodged at Patharkandi police station in Assam’s Sribhumi district. The complainant, a local circle officer, accused Hoque of orchestrating an elaborate scheme to facilitate cheating at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sribhumi, in exchange for financial gains.
The first case (No. 54/2025) alleged that Hoque accepted payments to secure undue advantages for students. The second case (No. 55/2025), carrying similar accusations, was presented in court on Monday, with the judgment expected the following day.
Hoque’s lawyer, Angshuman Barah, stated that both cases involved similar charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Following his arrest, Hoque was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Sribhumi on February 24. He was remanded to four days of police custody along with five other accused—Hiramani Saikia, Bijoy Dutta, Rezzak Ali, Numaan Ahmed, and Imdadur Rahman. Upon completion of the remand period, they were transferred to judicial custody as police did not seek an extension.
Authorities allege that Hoque’s involvement primarily benefited students from the ERD Group, which accounted for most examinees at the test centre. Of the 274 students who sat for the Physics exam at Kendriya Vidyalaya, 214 were from the ERD Group.
With the High Court’s decision on the second case pending, the controversy surrounding the alleged exam scam continues to unfold.
