Ahmedabad: The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Brigadier (Retd) Dinesh Sharma, has come under scrutiny following the suicide of second-year PGP student Akshith Bhukya.

It has come to light that earlier also, Sharma had been reported to the institution for alleged “high-handedness.” Sources reveal that Sharma terminated four staff members within two months, raising concerns among other employees. On the other hand, Akshith’s father, Hemant Bhukya, had accused the CAO of harassment before his son’s death on September 26, along with another individual. Sharma, currently on leave pending investigation, has not yet been questioned by the police.

The 60th Students’ Affairs Council at IIM-A recently raised questions regarding the CAO’s role in Akshith’s suicide in an email to the institute’s director. The council sought clarification about the creation of a new position—Advisor, Integrated Facilities Management—for Brigadier Sharma, who joined from IIM Lucknow. They also asked whether the director made the decision independently or if a committee was involved, as well as the recruitment process for the CAO position, which was advertised on October 3 after a delay of over three months.

Concerns were also expressed regarding Sharma’s involvement in decisions related to the TRBS event. Meanwhile, Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, of the b-school informed alumni that internal campus processes are being reviewed to prioritize student well-being. DeshGujarat