IIM-Rohtak director approaches HC against show-cause notice

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak director Dheeraj Sharma has approached the Punjab and Haryana high court challenging the show-cause notice issued to him by the central government

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak director Dheeraj Sharma has approached the Punjab and Haryana high court challenging the show-cause notice issued to him by the central government.

The matter is now listed for hearing for July 12. (iStock)

It was on March 28 that a show-cause notice was issued to him asking him to explain as to why necessary administrative action should be not taken against him for “deliberately concealing material information” about his academic qualification at the time of his appointment. His first term as director came to end on February 9 and he got a second term on February 28.

In his plea, he has argued that the show-cause notice was issued “without jurisdiction and is unsustainable in the eyes of law”.

“The nomination received from eminent persons in the field of management and management education is something different than the academic candidature based on academic criteria,” he had argued, adding that academic criteria is not applicable to him, who was a nominated candidate.

The allegations are that at the time of appointment, he had concealed the fact that his bachelor’s degree is in second division, whereas the requirement was of first division for the same.

The court deferred the hearing in view of submissions that a plea is pending since 2019, challenging his appointment and the high court bench of justice Rajbir Sehrawat, which heard the matter on Friday, ordered that the matter be listed with the same bench after obtaining orders from the chief justice.

Proceedings in 2019 were initiated on the plea filed by one Amitava Choudhury. The matter is now listed for hearing for July 12.