Guwahati, Aug. 14: Gauhati High Court today rejected tainted Tezpur University vice-chancellor P.C. Deka’s anticipatory bail application, paving the way for his arrest on charges of embezzling funds meant for research projects.

Chief Justice B.S. Reddy, who had reserved his ruling on August 11 after hearing arguments from both sides, perused the case diary submitted by the police for over half-an-hour before rejecting the bail plea.

A senior advocate said Deka, who has gone into hiding, had no option but to surrender in court or before the police and apply for regular bail. “It is just a matter of time before he surrenders. He will surely be placed under suspension, given the evidence against him.”

Deka stands accused of misappropriating over Rs 29 lakh released by the ONGC in 2004 for research activities in the Assam Agricultural University (AAU), of which he was then the dean. He allegedly continued to operate the dean’s bank account till 2005, though he had relinquished charge at the AAU on June 29, 2004, and joined the Tezpur-based central university.

The AAU, whose main campus is in Jorhat, showcaused Deka in June this year.

Jorhat superintendent of police Surendra Kumar said a case was registered against Deka under Section 420 on the basis of the FIR filed by the AAU management. The district court issued a non-bailable warrant against the vice-chancellor on August 5.

“Considering his status, I am sure he will co-operate with the investigation and present himself before the police,” Kumar said.

Although Raj Bhavan has no direct control over the central university, the vice-chancellor informed the governor before going on earned leave from August 5. “But he has since not been in touch,” a Raj Bhavan official said.

Officials of Tezpur University, too, said they were unaware about his whereabouts or about the court order.

Deka’s application for bail was vehemently opposed by the state government, which roped in additional advocate-general K.N. Choudhury to challenge it in court. Education minister Ripun Bora, too, publicly expressed the government’s annoyance over Deka’s conduct.

Lawyers P. Bora and J. Patowary assisted Choudhury.

The case diary submitted by the police in court includes documents seized from Deka’s house and a letter written by him to the AAU, indirectly admitting to breach of protocol.