PATNA, July 19 -- The Bihar Governor's secretariat wrote a letter to the Vice Chancellor of Magadh University (MU) directing him to probe the entire episode of the university's alleged fake PhD degrees being distributed to students in Myanmar and to take action as laid down by the rules, a top official in the MU said on Saturday. The letter was written by Sanjay Kumar, the Additional Secretary to the Governor, the official added. The matter surfaced in 2024 when the MU received information from social media platforms like Facebook etc. that Vishnu Shankar and Kailash Prasad, teachers working in the Department of Buddhist Studies of the university, together went to Naypyidaw (formerly Yangon or Rangoon), on September 29 and distributed fake honorary degrees to many on behalf of Magadh University in a fraudulent manner. Later, the Gaya police registered an FIR under BNS sections of 316(2)/318(4) on December 12, 2024, based on the statement of the then MU registrar, Prof Upendra Kumar. Teachers Vishnu Shankar and Kailash Prasad were named as accused in the FIR. While Kailash was a former lecturer, Vishnu was a non-permanent faculty member at the university. Both remained at large after the FIR was filed. Meanwhile, the university in its probe found them complicit in the fraudulent distribution of degrees and their services were terminated, an MU official said. The Gaya police also constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) whose investigation continues. When contacted, the MU registrar, BK Mangalam, said, "The letter from the Governor's secretariat was received by the office today. The VC is on leave today. On Monday, further action on the directives given in the letter will be taken once the VC joins office," said Mangalam. Bodh Gaya is a tourist place of international fame and it seems the racketeers handed out fake doctorates for money, police officials said. Police officers investigating the case said there are hints that fake PhD degrees had been awarded to people from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Buddhists from other countries....