MP: Ex-principal accused of promoting religious fanaticism exonerated; caused immense pain, he says

Indore, Dec 19 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh’s Higher Education Department has exonerated a former principal of a law college in Indore in a three-year-old case stemming from allegations of promoting religious fanaticism at the institution, officials said on Friday.

Dr Inamurrahman, the ex-principal, said the relief cannot make up for the immense mental anguish that he suffered due to baseless allegations.

According to officials, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had filed a complaint on December 1, 2022, against the administration and some professors of the city’s Government Naveen Law College.

They said the complaint contained allegations of promoting religious fundamentalism at the college, engaging in biased conduct, disrupting social harmony and goodwill, and misleading students about government policies.

Following an uproar over these allegations, the Higher Education Department suspended Dr Inamurrahman on December 9, 2022.

A departmental inquiry accused him of negligence in maintaining social harmony and a cordial atmosphere in the college and failing to take necessary steps to prevent indiscipline by teachers.

However, in an order issued on December 8 this year, the Higher Education Department said that the allegations could not be proved due to the “lack of statements of witnesses/sufficient records”.

Consequently, an administrative decision was taken to conclude the departmental inquiry against Dr Inamurrehman and treat his suspension period as a duty period, officials said.

Dr Inamurrahman retired on May 31, 2024, while he was suspended.

“Obviously, the decision to exonerate me in the departmental inquiry has been taken one and a half years after my retirement. This cannot compensate for the immense mental anguish I have suffered after being suspended on baseless allegations,” he told PTI.

The former principal of the law college declined to comment in detail on the controversy that erupted at the institute three years ago.

“If I had returned to work after being cleared in the departmental inquiry before my retirement, I could have implemented the plans made for the welfare of the college students. I will always regret that I could not do so,” he said.

Based on the ABVP complaint, police had registered a case against the ex-principal and others under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between two groups on grounds of religion), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and other provisions.

The Supreme Court quashed this FIR on May 14, 2024. PTI HWP MAS NR