Bhagalpur University recommends cancellation of Tomar’s degree

NEW DELHI: The examination board of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU) on Wednesday recommended cancellation of law degree of former Delhi law minister and

NEW DELHI: The examination board of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU) on Wednesday recommended cancellation of law degree of former Delhi law minister and AAP MLA Jitender Singh Tomar, who was arrested on the charges that his degree was fake.

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However, the board would give Tomar an opportunity to state his position. The disciplinary committee, a statutory committee of university, would seek explanation from Tomar as to why his degree should not be cancelled.

Vice chancellor Rama Shanker Dubey, who chaired the meeting of the examination board, said the approval of disciplinary committee, syndicate and senate and finally nod of chancellor of universities was required for cancellation of degree.

He said the committee would decide nature and quantum of punishment for employees indicted for lapses in issuing the degree.

Sources said about a dozen employees of the university, including those of Viswanath Singh Institute of Legal Studies (VSILS), Munger, an affiliated college of TMBU, were among those indicted in report of internal inquiry committee.

The committee in its report a few months ago had found the migration certificate of former law minister of Arvind Kejriwal cabinet wrong and had recommended cancellation of the law degree.

The controversy relates to the acquisition of law degree by Tomar on the basis of a doubtful enrollment at VSILS in the academic session 1994-95. He had claimed to have passed the law examination in 1998-99.

Tomar was arrested and later released on bail in 2015 in connection with the case. The former Tri Nagar legislator sent his resignation letter as minister in the Kejriwal government through his lawyer after being charged with cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

The FIR against Tomar was registered on June 8 in 2015 following a letter written by the Bar Council of Delhi secretary Puneet Mittal in May requesting the Delhi Police to conduct a detailed preliminary investigation with regard to the alleged forged documents and submit a report to it.

It took the police over a month to investigate the case against Tomar and make watertight grounds for his arrest.

(With agency inputs)