Suspend or send IIM Rohtak head on leave in graft case, says govt

CHANDIGARH: Centre directed Thursday the board of governors at IIM-Rohtak to either suspend director Dheeraj Sharma or send him on long leave until an inquiry into alleged financial misappropriation at the institute is resolved.
Sharma has also been ordered to stay off IIM campus and its rented premises until further notice. Union education ministry instructed IIM Rohtak’s board chairman Jai Dev Shroff to appoint a faculty member unconnected to the institute’s financial dealings as the interim head.
The ministry also asked the board to cancel its proposal to renominate Neeraj Kansal as a board member, citing a violation of IIM Rules 2018. The directive follows a March 5 order from President Droupadi Murmu, launching an inquiry into Sharma’s tenure .
The probe must be completed within three months. A preliminary investigation flagged multiple violations, including inflated financial records that were allegedly used to justify over Rs 1 crore in variable pay to Sharma each year since 2018-19. Other violations including improper procurement practices and unauthorised distribution of mobile phones and inducements, were also cited.
The President’s order says Sharma’s educational qualification certificates were repeatedly sought during his first term (2017-2022) but were not provided until his tenure ended. The inquiry will also verify the credentials of other staff members recruited at IIM Rohtak.