The Uttar Pradesh police have arrested a Lucknow University Professor after he was accused of engaging in obscene behaviour with a female student and offering to leak the examination papers. Paramjeet Singh, an assistant professor in the Zoology department at the university, came under scanner after an audio clip purportedly featuring him went viral on social media.
In the video clip, Singh is heard speaking to the student, saying, "Darling, I have arranged the exam paper for you. Come back before the exam, and I will give it to you here." He is also heard asking for sexual favours in return for giving the papers. “Maine tumhare liye 2 paper out kar liye hain, tum bas milne aa jao,” he is heard saying.
The student who received the messages reported suffering from severe mental distress due to the calls.
She is heard replying, “Sir, I have studied and completed the syllabus," trying to refuse the paper, according to media reports.
After the call ended, the audio continues and the student can be heard saying to another person that the professor was trying to "forcefully" trying to give her the papers and "calling me again so that he could molest me".
Sources also said that the student expressed concerns about her safety on campus after the circulation of the audio clip.
She later informed university authorities of the situation and submitted the audio recordings. After that, Controller of Examinations Vidyannand Tripaty filed a complaint with the police.
A FIR was registered at the Hasanganj Police Station, Lucknow, and Singh is currently being interrogated.
Meanwhile, the accused has denied all allegations, claiming he was being framed due to internal politics within the university. Inspector Chitran Kumar, Station House Officer of Hasanganj police station, said that the police will also record the statement of the student.
Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad staged protests on the campus demanding action against Singh .
The university administration said any act that harms the institution’s reputation would be treated seriously. Vice Chancellor JP Saini has asked the Internal Complaints Committee to submit its report within 24 hours.
University officials also said that statements of the accused professor and students have been recorded as part of the inquiry.
Sing, who hails from the Bijnor district, has been an assistant professor at the Lucknow University since 2022.