Graft probe: Centre asks IIM board to suspend or send Director on leave

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.

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The Director has also been asked to stay away from the campus/rented area of the IIM until further orders. The allegations against Sharma include wrongfully inflating the financial health of the IIM and using manipulated figures to pay a huge amount of variable pay (over Rs 1 crore for each year) to the Director from 2018-19 onwards.

President Droupadi Murmu had, earlier this month, ordered an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of public funds at the IIM during Sharma's tenure as Director.

The inquiry will include the verification of his educational qualification certificates, and other staff recruited at the IIM.

The probe 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.

The ministry also noted that Sharma's degree certificate was sought by the ministry repeatedly during his first term as Director (2017 to 2022) but was not sent by the IIM until the end of his tenure. The Centre has also asked the board to hand over the charge to another faculty member who has not been associated with the financial matters of the institute. — PTI