A Rajshahi court on Tuesday granted bail to Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology鈥檚 immediate past vice-chancellor Professor Rafiqul Islam Sheikh and registrar Professor Selim Hossain in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission on charge of appointing officers and employees violating of the university rules and regulations.
Judge Al-Asad Md Asifuzzaman of the Rajshahi Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court granted the bail to the duo until the charge sheet in the case was submitted, said ACC lawyer Shahidul Haque Khokon.
He said that after the ACC filed the case, Professor Rafiqul Islam Sheikh and Professor Selim Hossain went to the High Court that granted them bail for eight weeks.
鈥楢s their bail term has ended, the accused appeared before the court on Tuesday and prayed for bail,鈥� Khokon said, adding that the court granted them bail since they were on bail from the High Court.
Earlier on March 27, Aminul Islam, deputy director of the ACC Rajshahi divisional office, filed the case against Professor Rafiqul Islam Sheikh and Professor Selim Hossain under the penal code 409/109 and section 5 (2) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2004.
According to the case statement, Professor Rafiqul Islam Sheikh and Professor Selim Hossain appointed 34 officers and employees during their tenure of 2018-2022 against 16 vacant posts by misusing their power and caused a total financial loss of Tk聽1,26,12,109 to the government in terms of salaries and allowances.
Earlier, on investigation, the University Grants Commission found massive irregularities in appointing 135 teachers, officials and employees to RUET.
聽According to the findings of the probe report, former VC Professor Rafiqul Islam Sheikh appointed his own two brothers, sister, cousin, and brother and sisters-in-law, housekeeper and her husband by forging the marks although they failed in written tests.
The probe report also asked the authorities concerned to cancel the appointment of the 137 teachers, officers and employees and to take necessary action against Professor Rafiqul Islam Sheikh and registrar Selim Hossain for abusing their power in appointing their relatives violating the university rules and regulations.
Following the UGC鈥檚 recommendations, the ACC started an investigation into the allegations on March 28, 2023, and found the allegations against Professor Rafiqul Islam Sheikh and Professor Selim Hossain to be true.