Sexual harassment case: IIM-Rohtak director summoned by ST panel

Just a week after a local court ordered a further probe into a case of sexual harassment against Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Rohtak director Dheeraj Sharma, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes this week summoned him.

In a summon, issued on September 13, the NCST summoned Sharma for an appearance on September 19 in front of commission member Ananta Nayak.

A former assistant professor of the institute, who is from the ST community, filed the case in May 2018 alleging that Sharma had, in more than one instance, physically harassed her.

Read | Further probe into molestation plaint against IIM Rohtak director

She alleged that once he gripped her sexually, and in another instance was kicked away by the complainant when he moved too close to her. In addition to that, the complainant alleged that Sharma made disparaging comments about her private life and invited her for walks with him at the night.

The woman joined IIM Rohtak in a “tenured” position in September 2017 and is a doctorate from IIM Ahmedabad. After she filed a complaint against Sharma internally, she was terminated from her job in May 2018. The complainant then filed an FIR against Sharma. The FIR was later on quashed by the Rohtak police, with a cancellation report filed.

However, after the complainant filed a case under Section 173(8) of the CrPC for further investigation into the case, a local court directed the further investigation and pulled up the police for a shoddy investigation.

In addition to this complaint, Sharma is also facing accusations of not being eligible to be the director of the institute.