Rs 20 Lakh Engineering Branch Scam Unearthed in Tripura University: Ex-VC and Son Under Scanner

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 27, 2025

A sensational financial scam amounting to nearly Rs. 20 Lakh has surfaced in Tripura University’s engineering branch, exposing alleged corruption during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain. According to reports, large-scale irregularities were committed in the name of road maintenance inside the university campus.

Sources revealed that an initial agreement of Rs. 36 lakh was sanctioned for the maintenance of internal roads within the university complex. The estimate was prepared in line with the Tripura Schedule of Rates for Roads (TSR-Roads) 2023 of PWD, Government of Tripura. However, while executing the project, the then Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prasain allegedly issued verbal instructions to his son, Er. Lalit Prasain, who had been illegally recruited as an Assistant Engineer (Civil) in the university.

Acting solely on his father’s directions and bypassing all administrative procedures, Lalit Prasain executed additional road repair works worth Rs. 18 lakh at various locations inside the campus. The work was carried out without consultation with any other officials of the university or without any formal approval from competent authorities.

University insiders claim this was a clear attempt by the father-son duo to siphon off public money, taking undue advantage of Prof. Prasain’s position as Vice-Chancellor. The issue came to light after a series of complaints reached the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and the State Education Department.

The scale of the scam is believed to be much higher than initially estimated, with suspicions that the engineering branch may have overseen irregularities amounting to nearly Rs. 200 Lakh over the past few years. Reports indicate that several files related to the payments and contracts were manipulated to facilitate the misappropriation of funds.

The matter is now expected to be handed over to the Crime Branch, with a formal case likely to be registered soon. Local police sources confirmed that preliminary investigations have already begun, and multiple financial documents related to the project are being scrutinized.

University officials who are aware of the developments pointed out the crux of the scandal: “The then Vice-Chancellor not only recruited his son illegally but also enabled him to carry out works worth lakhs of rupees without approval. This is nothing short of looting the university exchequer.”

As the controversy deepens, demands are growing for a high-level inquiry into the recruitment of Er. Lalit Prasain and the financial dealings of the engineering branch during Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain’s tenure.

The scam has triggered widespread outrage among the academic community, with calls for strict action against those responsible for misusing public funds meant for the state’s premier university.

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