Kolkata, 18 June (H.S.):

The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has summoned former Burdwan University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nimai Chandra Saha for questioning in connection with a financial scam involving embezzlement of approximately ₹1.93 crore from the university’s fixed deposit accounts. The summons follows allegations of forged advisory notes and fake signatures used to prematurely break fixed deposits and siphon off funds.

According to a CID statement released on Wednesday morning, the financial irregularities came to light during the final phase of Dr. Saha’s tenure. Officials found that three fixed deposit accounts had been liquidated using falsified signatures of the university’s finance officer and registrar, and the withdrawn amount was transferred to separate bank accounts.

The scam first surfaced in 2024, when a fixed deposit of ₹21.55 lakh was nearly encashed at a nationalized bank in Burdwan. Bank officials grew suspicious during signature verification and discovered that no advisory note had been issued by the university. A formal complaint was subsequently lodged with the Burdwan police.

Prompted by this, the university sought detailed account status from other banks. It was then uncovered that fixed deposits amounting to ₹1.93 crore had already been broken and withdrawn from a branch near Jailkhana More. Following this revelation, then-Registrar Sujit Kumar Choudhury filed a police complaint, and the case was handed over to the CID. Several arrests have since been made.

A CID officer confirmed that Dr. Saha has been asked to appear at the CID office in Burdwan by 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday for interrogation.

The scandal has sparked strong reactions from student organizations across the political spectrum. Ushashi Ray Choudhury, former Burdwan district secretary of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), said, “We have been protesting this issue from the beginning. Not just the former Vice-Chancellor, anyone involved must be punished.”

Akash Gadai, president of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad’s university unit, echoed the sentiment, demanding strict punishment for the guilty and the recovery of the misappropriated funds.

Debmalya Ghosh, former assistant registrar who played a key role in exposing the scam, questioned whether such a large sum could have been withdrawn without the Vice-Chancellor’s knowledge. He also hinted that a thorough investigation might uncover further financial discrepancies within the university’s administration.

The probe is ongoing, and CID officials are expected to question more individuals linked to the financial misappropriation in the coming days.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh