On 22nd February 2025, Dr. Mahbubul Haque, the Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) and Chairman of ERD Foundation, was unjustly arrested from his residence in Guwahati at midnight without any prior notice. USTM is a highly reputed university in Meghalaya and India, operated by ERD Foundation.

The police have claimed that the arrest was based on unfounded allegations made by a small group of CBSE Class 12 students from Central Public School, Patherkandi, which is also run by ERD Foundation. These students falsely accused Dr. Haque of accepting bribes to allow cheating in exams. However, the majority of students at the same examination center have strongly refuted these claims, stating that the allegations were fabricated by a few individuals who were stopped from cheating. In retaliation, these students resorted to damaging school property and, to cover up their misconduct, falsely accused Dr. Haque of bribery.

Notably, it was the school authorities themselves who had to call the police to control the situation. Despite this, the Assam police arrested Dr. Haque without any evidence or due process, raising serious concerns about the legality of their actions.

Dr. Haque was presented before the local court of Shribhumi, where his bail plea was rejected without following proper legal procedures. Additionally, two FIRs were filed against him by the Shribhumi and Patherkandi police. However, upon approaching the Gauhati High Court, the court ruled that the arrest was illegal and granted him bail.

Shockingly, as soon as bail was granted in these two cases, another fabricated case was lodged at Dhekiajuli, Sonitpur, by the Dhekiajuli police, leading to Dr. Haque's immediate re-arrest. He is now being held at Tezpur Central Jail under yet another baseless case.

The person who allegedly filed this new FIR, Makshud Ali, an elderly man whose son is a student at USTM, has publicly stated that he had no knowledge of the case and never willingly filed any complaint against Dr. Haque. He has informed media outlets such as NEWS18 and Pratidin Time that the police coerced him into signing the FIR. Many other parents of USTM students have also claimed that they were approached by the police and pressured to sign false FIRs against Dr. Haque, but they refused.

Adding to this alarming situation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made multiple communal statements targeting Dr. Haque in media interactions. In one instance, he publicly stated that Dr. Haque would remain in jail for a long time—an outrageous claim that suggests political interference in the legal process. How can a Chief Minister decide the fate of an individual when the High Court itself has deemed his arrest illegal?

It is evident that Assam police are acting under the direct influence of the CM, violating legal procedures and lodging one fake case after another to harass Dr. Haque. This is not just a personal attack on Dr. Haque but an attempt to stifle the growth of USTM, an institution committed to providing quality education in Northeast India.

We demand:

1. The immediate release of Dr. Mahbubul Haque from Tezpur Central Jail.
2. A fair and independent investigation into the false allegations and police misconduct.
3. Strict action against the police officials involved in illegal arrests and coercion.
4. Protection of educational institutions like USTM from political vendetta and communal targeting.
5. We urge the Honorable Prime Minister of India, the Home Minister of India, the Supreme Court of India, and the Gauhati High Court to intervene in this grave miscarriage of justice. Dr. Haque must be allowed to continue his mission of educating students in Northeast India without fear of political persecution.

Sign this petition to stand against injustice and demand fairness in the legal process. Let truth and justice prevail!