Today, Wednesday, November 22, former Visva-Bharati University (VBU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Bidyut Chakraborty was questioned by the police in two cases, one involving the installation of plaques commemorating UNESCO's world heritage tag to Santiniketan and the other related to objectionable comments allegedly made against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reports PTI.
As per the report, a police team of three, led by the officer-in-charge of Santiniketan police station, Kasturi Mukherjee, visited Chakraborty's residence in Bolpur, Birbhum district, initiating the inquiry.
Chakraborty, whose controversial tenure concluded recently, faces a total of five cases. Earlier in the week, he was interrogated in three cases, two concerning comments on Goddess Durga and the Bengali community, and one related to the relocation of an e-rickshaw stand on the campus, the officials informed PTI.
"The entire interrogation process is being video-taped, which will be submitted to court," an official said.
Earlier, Chakraborty moved the Calcutta High Court seeking relief in the cases. However, the HC directed the police to interrogate him at his home but did not take any strict measures.
Santiniketan, home to VBU founded by Tagore over a century ago, attained UNESCO World Heritage status in September.
The controversy erupted when the university installed plaques to mark the occasion, omitting Tagore's name and featuring those of PM Narendra Modi, the Chancellor, and then VC Chakraborty. This incident stirred political criticism from CM Banerjee, the BJP opposition, and various prominent figures. Subsequently, the Shantiniketan Trust filed a police complaint, alleging Chakraborty failed to secure permission before placing one of the plaques on its land.
