Gauhati High Court Grants Bail To USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque

The Gauhati High Court has granted bail to Mahbubul Hoque, the Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), in relation to case number 54/2025, registered in Patharkandi, Sribhumi. However, the court has scheduled a hearing for his bail plea in a second case (55/2025) tomorrow.

Last Friday, the court held a detailed hearing on Hoque’s bail application and decided to announce its verdict by Monday. Hoque was arrested on February 21 by the Sribhumi Police and later transferred to the Dispur Police Station for further investigation.

On February 24, Hoque appeared before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Sribhumi. Before this appearance, he underwent a medical examination at Karimganj Civil Hospital after being moved from the Karimganj Sadar Police Station.

On February 25, the court remanded Hoque to police custody for four days. Along with Hoque, five other individuals—Hiramani Saikia, Bijoy Dutta, Rezzak Ali, Numaan Ahmed, and Imdadur Rahman—were also placed in police custody for the same period. After their remand ended, they were presented in court at around 5 PM today.

Earlier today, Hoque and fellow co-accused Numaan Ahmed were moved from Dispur Police Station to Karimganj Police Station. Since the Sribhumi Police did not request an extension of their remand, the court ordered that Hoque be transferred to judicial custody.