Kolkata: Subha Shankar Sarkar, a retired academic appointed by Jadavpur University to head the committee that will investigate the recent violence and vandalism on the campus, informed vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee on Saturday that he could not lead the inquiry because of other commitments.Officers said a police team would visit the campus on Monday to collect CCTV footage, marking the formal start of the probe 96 hours after a right-wing mob went on a rampage there early on Aug 20.The campus endured a second round of assault in the afternoon of Aug 20, during which JU’s emblem was damaged. Police have yet to question or arrest anyone in connection with the attack.JU had on Aug 21 set up a five-member committee headed by Sarkar, a former VC of Netaji Subhas Open University, to investigate the attack on the campus.Sarkar sent a letter to the JU VC around noon the next day expressing his inability to take on the role.“Professor Sarkar expressed regret and communicated to me on Saturday that he would not be able to take on this responsibility, citing personal reasons. We will now have to find a replacement,” VC Bhattacharjee said.Sarkar told TOI from Delhi, “The VC offered me the position of heading the inquiry committee, but I told him that because I am not in Kolkata and have prior commitments, I needed time to consider. Given the gravity of the incident, conducting interviews with those present during the violence would not be feasible from Delhi, and I did not wish to delay the process.“I sent the letter to the VC the following day, but the notice had been issued by then. I want to clarify that I had not accepted the offer, but merely took time to evaluate whether it was feasible.”Before Sarkar stepped down, Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM), an RSS affiliate, had written to VC Bhattacharjee objecting to Sarkar’s appointment.The organisation cited his alleged involvement in irregularities in recruitments by the Bengal school service commission during his tenure as chairman of the body. ABRSM also questioned the inclusion of JU deputy registrar Abdul Hasnath in the probe team.The Sangh affiliate urged the VC to appoint persons of “unimpeachable independence, integrity and professional standing — preferably… retired Judges of Calcutta High Court or Supreme Court of India” as members of the committee.When asked about the allegation against him, Sarkar said, “I do not bring political colour to my govt duties. I do not wish to engage further in this matter.”Police officers admitted that technicalities have delayed their probe into the campus disturbance. Sources at Lalbazar said police requested the JU authorities for relevant CCTV footage and for permission to inspect the locations where clashes broke out. The university requested the investigating officers to visit the campus on Monday.Police have asked for CCTV footage between 9 pm on Aug 19 and 5 pm on Aug 20. Sources noted that notices will be issued to students and employees after reviewing the footage.“We have started collecting social media visuals and TV feed. CCTV footage, too, will be scanned as it is a crucial piece of evidence. We need to move carefully as students’ careers are involved,” an investigator said.
