Police are likely to send the video clip that contains a purported conversation between Visva-Bharati vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty and a student for forensic examination to verify the tape’s authenticity.

Five students had on Friday lodged a complaint with Santiniketan police, along with the purported video clip, accusing the VC of plotting an attack on students at a varsity hostel and later at the hospital on January 15 night.

“We are inquiring to find out the source of the video. It will then be sent to a forensic science laboratory for experts to verify whether the video clip was dubbed or doctored,” said a senior police officer.

District police chief Shyam Singh said: “A case had already been registered in connection with the January 15 attack on students. We will take all necessary steps regarding the video and the complaint.”

Police sources said the students had submitted a raw file of the video of 18 minutes and seven seconds as “enough” proof of the attack being carried out at the direction of the VC.

“The complaint by the students and the video is serious in nature. They have accused the VC and we seek an explanation from Chakrabarty as the allegation is that he had directed the attack on the students. We are worried about the future of this esteemed institution,” said Sudipta Bhattacharyya, president of Visva-Bharati University Faculty Association.

Sudripta Tagore, a descendent of Tagore family and principal of a school in Santiniketan, said: “If the video clip is genuine, I am dumbfounded. People representing an institution does not matter, ultimately the reputation of the organisation is at stake.”

Sources said the video had been recorded during a candlelight march by varsity employees on January 7 to protest “false” complaints against the VC and other senior officials.

The students said VC Chakrabarty was found directing a student to get the “bike battalion” around 3.30pm on January 8 when Rajya Sabha member Swapan Dasgupta was scheduled to hold a lecture on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

After the attack on the students at the varsity hostel and later at the hospital, a section of students had claimed that the goons had the support of Chakrabarty and the university authorities.

Anirban Sircar, the officiating public relations officer, however, claimed the video had been doctored to malign the VC and Visva-Bharati. “The voice in the video does not match that of the VC. After our VC came, he started the purification of the varsity. Those with vested interest were affected by the VC’s actions and they are trying to malign him and Visva-Bharati.”