University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque. (Photo: X/ @chairman_erdf)The complaint cited in the Assam Police FIR in connection with last week’s NEET protests in Guwahati alleges that they were “organised, financed, and facilitated under the directions of Mahbubul Hoque, the chancellor of Meghalaya’s University of Science & Technology, who has previously found himself under fire from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on multiple occasions.On Monday, the Assam government issued a statement that it would withdraw all cases against those who took part in the protests against the NEET question paper leak, and that the process to release those arrested would commence soon.Days earlier, however, an FIR was filed at Dispur Police Station based on a complaint by a sub-inspector in connection with a protest held in Guwahati’s designated protest site in Chachal on July 23. The protest, which was held in solidarity with those at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and demanding the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, had been called by the CPI(M)-affiliated Students’ Federation of India (SFI). Hundreds of protesters attended the demonstration, which took place largely without incident.At the end, some protesters took out a procession outside the site, chanting slogans.The protest also generated buzz because the daughter of state Cabinet minister Keshab Mahanta had participated and could purportedly be seen raising slogans slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanding “justice”.The next day, the FIR was registered under 10 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including “acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India”, promoting enmity between different groups, criminal conspiracy, and assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from doing their job. Seven people have been arrested and remanded to police custody.Read | Leaders of BJP, Assam ally face Gen Z dissent at home as daughters speak upThe arrested are all between the ages of 24 and 32. The grounds state that they had “actively participated in the protest and procession”, “were allegedly leading, instigating and influencing the gathering”, and “were allegedly involved in arguing with and obstructing the on-duty police personnel…”The complaintStory continues below this adWhile he is not named as an accused in the FIR, USTM Chancellor Hoque finds a central place in the complaint by the sub-inspector cited in it. It states that the complainant SI alleged that “the mobilisation, transportation, and logistical arrangements for the protest were organised, financed, and facilitated under the directions of Mahbubul Hoque, Founder Chancellor of USTM and Chairman of ERDF, along with other known and unknown persons”.“It was also alleged that, during the protest, the organisers provoked the participants, obstructed police personnel in the discharge of their official duties, blocked VIP road, and attempted to march towards the Assam Secretariat. The protest allegedly obstructed the movement of emergency vehicles, including ambulances, thereby endangering human lives and causing grave inconvenience to commuters, passengers, and patients requiring urgent medical care,” it goes on to state.Hoque dismissed links with the protest. “I’m busy running education institutes. All this is hypothetical and fabricated,” he said.Hoque and USTM made headlines in 2024 when Chief Minister Sarma invoked the term “flood jihad” while pinning the blame for flash floods in Guwahati on construction work at USTM, located in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, saying deforestation and hill-cutting for the campus were responsible. The Assam Police arrested him in 2025 in connection with alleged malpractices in Class 12 CBSE examinations, registering six FIRs. Last week, amid floods in Assam, Sarma again mentioned USTM as a flood threat to Guwahati city.Cases withdrawnStory continues below this adMeanwhile, in a late-night press release on Monday after a similar statement by the Bihar government, the Assam government said it would move to withdraw five cases registered in connection with NEET protests in the state.It said that in these cases, “no adverse legal action will be initiated by any of the police authorities within the state against those persons who have been involved in these protests”.It also said, “The process for withdrawing the registered cases, irrespective of the stage of the process within the State of Assam, will be initiated as per law promptly.”The “process for reviewing the arrests and releasing the arrested persons will be initiated expeditiously”, the statement added.Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More