IIM professor sacked for filing false complaint of harassment

A woman professor of IIM-Indore, who accused a senior colleague of sexual harassment, has been sacked after an inquiry panel found her charge to be false and baseless.

The lady professor, who is on a two-year contract and living on the official campus, has been told about the termination of her contract, a senior official said.

However, IIM's Public Relation Officer Akhta Pervez chose not to mention about the action taken against the professor.

"A 9-member Gender Sensitivity Committee (GSC) headed by retired justice of Madhya Pradesh Indrani Dutta has submitted its report to the IIM-I Director on April 27.

"GSC within the ambit of Government of India norms investigated the matter submitted its report to the director in connection with the sexual harassment case filed by one woman professor of marketing department," the PRO said.

The GSC is said to have rejected the complaint of the lady professor holding that it had no merit in it.

When contacted, IIM-I Director N Ravichandran also refused to give details.

"No comments. However, due process has been followed on the woman's complaint. It is not an issue of public domain to be disclosed," he told PTI on being asked whether the services of the lady professor had been terminated.

The lady professor could not be contacted. She had filed a complaint of sexual harassment against an associate professor of marketing department with the institute director on February 20 this year.