IIM Calcutta removes director over sexual harassment claim, announces replacement

IIM (Calcutta) has removed its director-in-charge Sahadeb Sarkar to ensure a fair inquiry into a sexual harassment complaint received against him. Senior faculty member Professor Saibal Chattopadhyay will replace him as the chief of the premier B school.

In a statement, IIM-C said on Tuesday that Chattopadhyay has been appointed by the Board of Governors (BoG) with immediate effect.

The statement said the change was effected in the wake of the receipt of a written complaint “against the earlier director-in-charge and recommending to BoG for his removal during an inquiry.” The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the institute has received a written complaint against the person concerned and recommended that he be removed from the said post to ensure a “free and fair inquiry”, while asserting it should not in a manner be a reflection about the merits/demerits of the allegations.

The measure was required for the ICC to ensure that impartiality is maintained and the inquiry is duly compliant with the principles of natural justice, it said.

The BoG held a meeting on January 6 and accepted the recommendation of the ICC that the concerned person shall not continue in office and shall be removed from the post.

In line with the extant law, the next senior-most faculty member Professor Saibal Chattopadhyay was appointed as the director-in-charge with immediate effect, the statement said.

Chattopadhyay’s predecessor stepped down three days back.