BJP Sikkim petitions CBI to register case against SMU

GANGTOK, 30 July: The Bharatiya Janta Party’s Sikkim-unit president, Padam Bahadur Chettri, sent a petition today to the Central Bureau of Investigation [CBI] Director with the request to lodge an FIR against Sikkim Manipal University and its affiliate colleges and against all officers associated with SMU.
Mr. Chettri has requested the CBI to register multiple cases against Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and former Chief Minister, NB Bhandari, former Speaker, CB Subba, Health Ministers, Chief Secretaries, Education and Health Secretaries of India and Sikkim and others concerned and launch investigations immediately.
The BJP state-unit president has taken this initiative following the registering of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the former IGNOU Vice-Chancellor, V N Rajshekharan Pillai by the CBI on 27 July, for permitting two private universities- Sikkim Manipal University [SMU] and Punjab Technical University [PTU]- to run distance learning courses allegedly in violation of laid down procedures.
It is informed that according to CBI, both the  universities did not get the approval of the  joint committee of AICTE, UGC and IGNOU but the former IGNOU VC still gave approval for the courses setting aside the laid down guidelines.
Addressing a press conference today at the Press Club of Sikkim, Mr Chettri stated that since the main headquarter of the SMU is in Sikkim, the CBI should conduct its investigation in Sikkim. He further alleged that the main persons behind the entire “crime” were Dr. Ramdas Pai and others mentioned in the FIR, should be investigated.
“If SMU itself is a university then why does it need to take permission from IGNOU to run distance education courses,” he also questioned.
Mr Chettri informed that apart from this petition to the CBI, he will also write an open letter to the Prime Minister and others concerned on these issues related to the SMU. He shared that the party will inform the people about SMU in their upcoming meetings and through other party programmes. The party is further likely to take up this issue in the upcoming sessions in the parliament, he added.