Lucknow University has suspended an assistant professor after allegations surfaced of him attempting to lure a student with a leaked question paper and engaging in inappropriate behaviour.
University of Lucknow on Tuesday suspended an assistant professor of its Zoology Department over allegations of having an inappropriate phone conversation with a female student and allegedly attempting to lure her with a question paper leak.
According to a university statement, the decision to suspend assistant professor Parmeet Singh (40) with immediate effect was taken during the second consecutive day of an emergency meeting of the Executive Council chaired by Vice Chancellor J P Saini on Tuesday.
The statement said a three-member high-level disciplinary committee, in its interim report, found prima facie evidence that the teacher attempted to sexually exploit the student by allegedly offering to leak examination question papers and violated the teachers' code of conduct.
The committee also held him responsible for damaging the university's reputation, academic integrity and for allegedly engaging in serious sexual and mental harassment and misconduct at the workplace, the statement said.
The university said a charge sheet has also been issued to the accused teacher, seeking a written reply with evidence within 15 days, failing which dismissal proceedings could be initiated.
The controversy surfaced after alleged audio clips of conversations between the assistant professor and a BSc final year student went viral on social media.
In one of the clips, the accused was allegedly heard telling the student, "Darling, your paper has been leaked. Come here from your home before the examination and we will give you the paper here."
Police arrested Singh on May 16 after an FIR was registered at Hasanganj police station on the complaint of the university's controller of examinations.
Before his arrest, Singh had told PTI over the phone that all allegations against him were false and that he was being framed due to "internal university politics".
However, according to sources, during the Executive Council meeting on Monday, the accused admitted that the voice in the viral audio clips was his, though he claimed that his "tongue slipped" during the conversation.
The victim also recorded her statement before the committee and narrated the sequence of events relating to the alleged mental harassment and pressure, sources said.
Members of the Executive Council, after hearing the viral audio clips, observed that the alleged conduct was completely against the sanctity and dignity of the teacher-student relationship, they added.