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LU audio clip row: Asst prof formally arrested
A day after being taken into custody, assistant professor was produced before a court on Saturday and sent to jail
An assistant professor of Lucknow University, who was detained on Friday night over his objectionable phone conversation with a female student and purportedly offering to leak question papers, had allegedly been in contact with the female student for nearly a year, police officials familiar with the matter said. He was accused of repeatedly bothering her on different occasions.
The accused admitted during questioning on Saturday that he had known the student for over a year, police officials familiar with the matter said.
He was produced before a court on Saturday and sent to jail after being formally arrested by Lucknow Police under the Hasanganj police station limits.
The matter is being investigated by assistant commissioner of police (Mahanagar) Ankit Kumar, who said the assistant professor admitted during interrogation that the viral audio clips were genuine and confirmed making the calls on May 12 after 8 pm.
“He also admitted that he had been in touch with the young woman for close to a year. His statement was recorded and an FIR was lodged, following which he was formally arrested,” the ACP said.
According to a media statement issued by Hasanganj police, the controversy surfaced after the university administration received audio recordings allegedly featuring obscene conversations between the professor and the student, along with claims of offering undue academic favours and leaking examination question papers.
The complaint was formally submitted on May 15 by the university’s examination controller at Mahanagar police station.
Taking a serious note of the allegations, the university constituted an internal inquiry committee before police registered a case under relevant sections at Hasanganj police station.
“An FIR has been registered under Section 74 of the BNS along with Sections 11 and 13(5) of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Ordinance 2024,” said Hasanganj police station in-charge Chitwan Kumar
Univ to release internal complaintscommittee report on Monday
The Lucknow University will release its internal complaint committee’s report on three audio clips purportedly featuring an objectionable conversation between a woman student and a faculty member on Monday, a university spokesperson said.
The committee will submit its findings by late Saturday evening, according to the spokesperson.
“The Internal Complaints Committee has investigated the matter by considering both sides of the facts. The report will be submitted late Saturday evening and released after an executive council meeting of the university on Monday,” said university spokesperson Prof Mukul Srivastava.
