IIM Calcutta removes director over sexual harassment plaint
Times of India | 17 January 2024
KOLKATA: The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta has removed Sahadeb Sarkar as director-in-charge following a sexual harassment complaint against him.
IIM-C said in a press statement on Tuesday that its internal complaints committee (ICC) had recommended the removal after receiving a written complaint under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (POSH) Act and that the allegations were being investigated.
The next senior-most faculty, Saibal Chattopadhyay, has taken over as the new director-in-charge.
The ICC in its recommendation had expressed concerns over holding a free and fair probe, including accessing witnesses, staff, faculty and institute documents, while Sarkar remained in his post.
With the ICC's recommendations being binding on the institute under the POSH Act, its board of governors held a special meeting on January 6 to remove Sarkar till a formal inquiry was completed. He was also relieved with immediate effect of any other administrative charges that he held. The board, however, clarified that its acceptance of the ICC's recommendations in no way reflected its opinions on the merits or demerits of the allegations.
When contacted by TOI, the institute authorities refused to comment on the developments.
Sarkar's removal makes him the third IIM director in three years to leave his position before expiry of tenure.
Earlier, director Uttam Kumar Sarkar resigned in August 2023 after serving only two of his five-year term.
In March 2021, then director Anju Seth had resigned in the fourth year of her term. Both allegedly resigned over differences with the board's chairperson, Shrikrishna G Kulkarni.
Explore Your Financial Landscape with Personalized Credit Insights.