‘Calling to molest me again’: LU teacher offers to leak exam paper to girl student in exchange for ‘favours’; audio leaked

Police on Friday took into custody an assistant professor from Lucknow University’s zoology department after registering a case over allegations that he leaked examination question papers.

LUCKNOW: Police on Friday took into custody an assistant professor from Lucknow University’s zoology department after registering a case over allegations that he leaked examination question papers in exchange for undue favours and made inappropriate advances towards a female student.The case was lodged at Hasanganj police station on May 15 on the basis of a written complaint submitted by the university’s Controller of Examinations. Police said the complaint accused the teacher of engaging in obscene and inappropriate conversations with a student and attempting to lure her with promises of academic benefits.DCP Central Zone Vikrant Vir said the student had provided the university administration with audio recordings in which the professor was allegedly heard discussing the leaking of university examination question papers. He said the university first constituted an internal inquiry committee to examine the allegations before approaching police.On the basis of the complaint, police registered an FIR under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, related to outraging the modesty of a woman, along with Sections 11 and 13(5) of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.Police officials said the accused professor has been detained for questioning and further legal action is in progress. Investigators are examining the authenticity of the audio clips and trying to determine whether any final-year zoology examination papers were actually leaked or whether there was an attempt to manipulate the examination process.University authorities moved against the teacher after several audio clips allegedly featuring him went viral.In the recordings, the professor is allegedly heard making advances towards a female student while promising academic favours.According to the complaint, three audio recordings were submitted in which the teacher can allegedly be heard asking the student to come to his office and collect question papers for two ongoing examinations in advance.Officials said the university handed over the audio clips to police in a pen drive. In one of the clips, the accused is allegedly heard asking the student to meet him once a week in return for academic favours.The allegations triggered strong protests on the Lucknow University campus. Student members of various organisations staged demonstrations demanding the immediate termination and arrest of the assistant professor. During the protest, students blackened the accused teacher’s face with ink and laid siege to the proctor’s office.Earlier, the student also filed a complaint with the university’s Internal Complaint Committee formed under the law dealing with prevention of sexual harassment at workplaces.Earlier, she reached the proctor’s office along with representatives of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha to submit her complaint.While the student was allowed inside, other students were stopped, leading to heated exchanges with university officials. Protesters later sat on a dharna outside the office and attempted to force their way into the building.After reviewing the complaint, proctor Prof Rakesh Dwivedi called the accused teacher to his office. As the teacher arrived, protesting students intercepted him and smeared black ink on his face. Members of the proctorial board and police intervened and moved him into a locked room for protection.ICC member Anchal Srivastava and members of the proctorial board later assured protesters that action would follow after the inquiry, but the assurance did not calm the crowd and another scuffle broke out.The student confirmed that she had filed a complaint with the ICC but declined further comment. University spokesperson Mukul Srivastava said strict action would be taken if the teacher is found guilty.ABVP leader Sri Jai Srivastava called the incident deeply unfortunate, while SCS member Shivaji Yadav demanded strict action against the accused.Audio clips show teacher luring studentIn one of the clips, the accused teacher can be heard requesting the girl to come and meet him once, while claiming that he is ready to leak question papers of core and elective subjects for her.The two-minute audio begins with the man asking about the girl’s mother’s health and saying that he has several contacts at premier institutes. It ends with the girl saying that, under the pretext of helping her, he is calling her to the department to molest her again. In another audio, the man is heard offering financial help. He was also heard pressuring the girl to accept favours, while she repeatedly kept rejecting them.