Centre directs IIM Rohtak to suspend director or send on leave till graft probe over

NEW DELHI: The Union ministry of education on Thursday asked the Board of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak to either suspend institute director Dheeraj Sharma or send him on leave till the completion of probe against him over alleged misappropriation of funds, according to sources. The director has also been asked to stay away from the IIM campus/rented area of IIM Rohtak until further orders.

The allegations against Sharma include wrongfully inflating the financial health of IIM Rohtak and using such manipulated figures to pay a huge amount of variable pay (more than Rs 1 crore for each year) to the director of IIM Rohtak from 2018-19 onwards.

Alleged fund misappropriation at IIM Rohtak

President Droupadi Murmu had earlier this month ordered an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of public funds at IIM Rohtak during the tenure of Sharma as director of the institute. The inquiry will also include the verification of the educational qualification certificates of Sharma and other staff recruited at IIM.

The probe against Sharma was launched following an inquiry conducted by the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Education, which found serious irregularities and grave misappropriation of public funds at IIM Rohtak. The Ministry also noted that Sharma's degree certificate was sought by the ministry repeatedly during his first term as director of IIM Rohtak from 2017 to 2022 but was not sent by IIM Rohtak until the end of his tenure.

Centre’s directive to IIM Rohtak

The Centre has also asked the Board to hand over the charge of IIM Rohtak to another faculty member who has not been associated with the financial matters of the institute. "A formal letter in this regard has been sent to Jai Dev Shroff, Chairman of the Board, IIM Rohtak. The Ministry has also asked the IIM Board to cancel the proposal given for the renomination of Neeraj Kansal as a member of the Board of IIM Rohtak, as per the agenda circulated for the 63rd meeting proposed to be held on March 17," a source said. "The inquiry will be conducted by Professor Manoj Tiwari, Director of IIM Mumbai, as the inquiry officer. He has been asked to complete the probe within three months," the sources added.