Indore (Madhya Pradesh): District collector and chairman of the government-aided Shri Vaishnav Polytechnic College Manish Singh has removed Rajesh Sodhani as principal, reportedly following complaints by the teaching staff against him. He was not even given a graceful exit as an in-charge principal was installed in the principal’s office during the period of his leave.
However, an order issued by the additional collector said that Sodhani had been removed from the post as day-to-day functioning of the college was being hit since he would remain absent every now and then.
Shyam Sunder Sharma, head of the electrical engineering department, was made in-charge principal till the next order. The in-charge principal has been given full powers of the principal’s post. Sharma had been in-charge principal four years ago until Sodhani was appointed.
The order of Sodhani’s removal was issued on October 8 when he was on leave. Two days ago, Sharma took charge of the principal’s office in the absence of Sodhani.
It was alleged that Sodhani was working as a “dictator” and some faculty members were not happy with him. They were also upset over Sodhani’s decision of scrapping a fund which was being used by the college staff. However, the fund was later restored following intervention of the collector.
When contacted, Sodhani stated that he was not removed in a dignified way. “The order says that I would remain absent every now and then. This is untrue. I would hardly avail of even causal leave. Because of some urgency, I had taken leave from October 4 to 14. Before I returned, Sharma was installed in the principal’s office without even relieving me,” he said.
Sodhani stated that he was being removed as he had got hands on some papers related to a scam that took place in the college. “Those involved in it got against me and instigated Singh,” Sodhani said.
Free Press has learnt that Sodhani had resigned as early as in August 27, but his resignation was not accepted then. And now, he has been removed.
