Maharashtra: Professor suspended over alleged misconduct with colleagues, financial irregularities

Latur: A college in Maharashtra's Latur has suspended a professor of English after the Marathwada University found him prima facie guilty of allegedly misbehaving with women colleagues and also indulging in administrative negligence as well as financial irregularities.

Latur-based Mahatma Basweshwar Shikshan Sanstha suspended Dr Rajkumar Lakhadive of the English Department of Mahatma Basweshwar College following directions from the Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University.

The university-appointed preliminary inquiry committee conducted a detailed investigation into the complaints against Lakhadive and submitted its report to the university, the institution said.

The panel held him responsible for multiple violations. Acting on the findings, the university Vice-Chancellor accepted the report and granted permission to the institution to place him under suspension pending a departmental inquiry.

The action follows complaints by several female employees of the college alleging Lakhadive's inappropriate behaviour towards them, including recording videos of women participants during Dandiya dance events, engaging female employees in prolonged non-academic discussions in his office, making remarks with double meanings.

The inquiry committee also found instances of alleged dereliction of duty like not conducting classes for his subject, irregular attendance, signing the attendance register despite being absent, the institution said.

An internal inquiry committee constituted separately by the college management to probe suspected financial irregularities found evidence pointing to his involvement in alleged misappropriation of funds worth several lakhs of rupees. PTI