Lucknow University Professor: No Evidence Of Exam Leak Found

A police inquiry found no evidence that a Lucknow University professor leaked exam papers, despite allegations of pressuring a student, leading to his arrest and a university investigation.

A preliminary police inquiry into allegations that an assistant professor leaked examination papers has found no evidence of any leak so far, officials said on Sunday.

The accused teacher, Paramjeet Singh, 40, an assistant professor in the Zoology Department, University of Lucknow, was arrested late Friday night and later remanded to judicial custody, police said.

Police Investigation Into Exam Leak Allegations

Mahanagar Assistant Commissioner of Police Ankit Kumar, who is supervising the investigation, told PTI on Sunday that preliminary inquiry suggested the accused teacher had not leaked any examination paper, contrary to the alleged claims he made in the viral conversation with the student.

Meanwhile, the findings of the university's Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) will be placed before an emergency meeting of the Executive Council on Monday, after which further action will be decided, university spokesperson Prof Mukul Srivastava said.

Accusations Against The Professor

Singh, allegedly called a BSc final-year student on the nights of May 14-15 and "pressured" her to meet him before the examination, police said.

In purported audio clips that went viral on social media on Friday, the accused is allegedly heard telling the student, "Darling, your paper has been leaked. Come from your home before the exam, and we will give you the paper here."

Singh, who has been serving as an assistant professor since June 2022, had earlier denied the allegations, claiming he was falsely implicated due to "internal politics" within the university and among students.

Speaking to PTI over the phone before the police action on Friday, Singh said, "I completely reject these allegations. I am being targeted and trapped in this matter because of the internal politics of the university."

University's Response and Further Action

After disconnecting the call, the student could reportedly be heard saying that she did not want the paper and alleging that the professor was trying to harass her again.

The university administration initiated an inquiry and filed a police complaint. Following this, the police registered an FIR and arrested Singh.

In a press statement issued earlier, the university said the ICC had completed its inquiry after considering the facts presented by both sides.

Chief Proctor Prof Rakesh Dwivedi said the examination controller had filed the FIR and that the ICC had also begun an inquiry into the matter.

In the complaint to the police, Dwivedi alleged that three audio recordings of "objectionable" conversations between the assistant professor and the student had been received and described the matter as a serious breach of examination confidentiality and the student's dignity.

A pen drive containing the recordings was also submitted with the complaint.

An FIR had been registered under relevant sections of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Ordinance, 2024, along with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said.