DU’s Probe in Baisoya’s Fake Degree Drags On for ABVP’s Gain?

“I have not gone to office to check the status of probe,” KTS Sarao, Head, Department of Buddhist Studies said.

Weeks after a row over Delhi University Students’ Union’s President Ankiv Baisoya’s degree erupted, Delhi University administration is dragging its feet on the probe.

Even after the registrar of Thiruvalluvar University confirmed that the degree submitted by Baisoya is fake and wasn’t issued from their university, KTS Sarao, head of DU’s department of Buddhist Studies said that he has not followed up on the committee’s probe.

“We need an official confirmation from the university to proceed in the probe,” Sarao told The Quint, but when asked if he has checked with his office, Sarao said, he has not gone to the office to follow up on the probe.

I have not gone to office to check the status of probe but we will take the necessary action once we know what Thiruvalluvar University has said.

KTS Sarao, Head, Department of Buddhist Studies

The probe has not reached any conclusion from Delhi University’s end even as the registrar of Thiruvalluvar University had written to Tamil Nadu’s Principal Secretary to Government confirming that, “Ankiv Baisoya has not not enrolled either in their University or in any of its constituent and affiliated colleges.”

The Quint has a copy of the letter sent to principal secretary.

DU's committee investigating the fake degree probe had sought response from Thiruvalluvar University by Monday, 1 October.

After the allegations against Baisoya for submitting a fake degree to get admission in DU’s department of Buddhist Studies surfaced, the department set-up a committee to verify the documents which the newly-elected DUSU President had submitted.

Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has alleged that DU administration is deliberately avoiding and stalling probe, because according to the Lyngdoh guidelines, if the president is removed from the post within two months, university will have to conduct re-elections for DUSU office.

“The DU administration, in compliance with ABVP, is trying to slow down the process in order to avoid re-election prescribed under 6.10.4 clause of Lyngdoh Committee, Saimon Farooqui, NSUI national secretary and media in-charge told The Quint.

Moreover, after two months, the guidelines will reject the need for re-elections, and direct the vice-president, who is also an ABVP member, of DUSU to take over as the President.

Akshay Lakra, State President of NSUI

NSUI members maintain that the deadline of two months is crucial at this stage and it will be one month soon since DU found out about the degree.

Newly-elected Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) President Ankiv Baisoya found himself in a spur of controversy after the Thiruvalluvar University, where Baisoya claimed to have graduated from, denied his admission and confirmed that the degree certificate is fake.

The Congress-led National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) had sent Baisoya’s degree to the University for verification. The University in turn sent a reply rejecting Baisoya’s claims of having graduated from their institution.