CBI books Nagaland University professor for bribery

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against a Senior Professor of Nagaland University who was allegedly involved in the transaction of bribes and other tender-related irregularities, agency sources said on Tuesday.

A CBI statement has said that the central probe agency registered a case on Saturday (July 12) against the accused Chitta Ranjan Deb, Senior Professor and Director IQAC, Dean of School of Sciences, Department of Botany, Nagaland University, a central university.

“There are allegations that Deb is accused in indulging in various corrupt and illegal practices and with a predetermined intention to cause wrongful loss to Nagaland University and corresponding personal pecuniary gain to himself in the matter of favourable award of supply orders of scientific equipment, consumables, etc, showing favour to different bidders or companies against obtaining undue advantage or bribe,” the statement said.

The CBI on Saturday (July 12) conducted searches at different places -- Jorhat (Assam), Lumani (Nagaland) and Agartala (Tripura) and on subsequent dates, leading to the recovery of incriminating documents relating to the transaction of bribes as well as tender-related documents from the offices of bidders or companies and accused.

Deb, 57, a resident of Tripura, joined Nagaland University, Lumanion, in August 1997 as a lecturer and is presently working as Senior Professor and Director IQAC, Dean of School of Sciences, Department of Botany.

According to his profile, Deb completed his graduation from Tripura University and a Postgraduate (in 1994) and Doctoral degree (in 2000) from the North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong.

Deb is actively associated with several National/International academic organisations as a member.

Nagaland University, the 13th Central University and the only Central University in Nagaland, came into being on September 6, 1994, having jurisdiction over the entire state of Nagaland.

There are 76 colleges from all over the state of Nagaland currently affiliated with the University.