In what has come as a shocker to many, Uttar Pradesh’s Governor Anandiben Patel, who also serves as the Chancellor of state universities, has recently taken a decisive step in dismissing Saurabh Mishra from the Executive Council (EC) of the Lucknow University (LU). Mishra, who was nominated by the Chancellor as a member of the University’s EC on April 6, has been removed following his arrest on charges of fraud by the Maharashtra police.
University Registrar Expresses Compliance with the Decision
In a conversation about Mishra’s expulsion, Lucknow University’s registrar Sanjay Medhavi stated, “Saurabh Mishra served as an EC member by virtue of being a Chancellor’s nominee. As a university, we abide by the instructions from Raj Bhawan. The university did not have any hand in his removal.”
The Arrest That Sparked the Controversy
This abrupt turn of events started to unfold when Mishra was apprehended at his residence in Jankipuram and later produced before a court in Thane on June 2. The charges against him are notably grave, alleging cheating and fraud involving a substantial sum of money, based on a complaint lodged by Thane-based entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurs accused Mishra of deceit on the pretext of securing a government tender for them, which amounted to several crores. The official complaint was filed at Rabodi police station in Thane on the same day that Mishra was appointed to the university’s EC.
Santosh Ghatekar, Rabodi police inspector, divulged that the complainant, Rajesh Pandey, has been allegedly conned out of a whopping Rs 13.2 crore by the accused.
The arrest of Saurabh Mishra and his subsequent removal from the EC have created quite a stir in Lucknow University. As the details of this sensational event continue to unravel, it remains to be seen how it will affect the reputation of the University and the parties involved.
