Lucknow, University of Lucknow on Monday constituted a three-member disciplinary committee against Zoology Department assistant professor Paramjeet Singh after its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) found his conduct “inappropriate, unethical and extremely serious” in a case involving alleged objectionable conversations with a female student and claims of leaking examination papers.
According to a university press release, an emergency meeting of the Executive Council chaired by Vice Chancellor J P Saini was convened to discuss the ICC report prepared in “record time” and to consider immediate punitive and corrective measures.
The university said the ICC recorded statements of both sides and the student narrated before the panel the alleged mental harassment and pressure she faced.
The accused teacher, Dr Paramjeet Singh, denied the allegations before the committee but admitted on camera that the voice in the viral audio clips was his, according to the university.
In his defence, Singh allegedly told the committee that his “tongue slipped” during the conversation.
The ICC, in its final findings, said that based on available evidence, established facts and the self-authenticated voice recording of Singh, his conduct was “completely inappropriate, undesirable, unethical and of a very serious nature”.
The committee recommended the “strictest disciplinary action” against him, the university said.
The newly-formed disciplinary committee, headed by the vice chancellor, includes Prof Rachna Srivastava, principal of A P Sen Girls PG College, and Prof Anand Vishwakarma from the Faculty of Law.
The committee has been asked to submit its interim report within 24 hours, following which another emergency meeting of the Executive Council will be held on May 19 to take a final decision regarding service-related action against the accused teacher.
The university also announced several policy measures, including the appointment of designated officers in affiliated colleges and the display of dedicated WhatsApp numbers and email IDs for complaints related to harassment.
The ICC will also organise awareness programmes and sensitisation workshops for students throughout the year, the release said.
Calling the matter a “deep blow” to the university’s moral and cultural values, Saini said the institution would not compromise on the safety and dignity of students, especially women students.
“The law and rules will take their course and the guilty will receive such punishment that it becomes an example for the future,” he said.
The case came to light after purported audio clips of conversations between Singh and a BSc final-year student surfaced on social media.
In one of the clips, the accused was 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.”
Police arrested Singh on May 16 after an FIR was lodged at Hasanganj police station on the complaint of the university’s examination controller under provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Ordinance, 2024, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Before his arrest, Singh had told PTI over the phone, “I completely reject these allegations. I am being targeted and trapped in this matter because of the internal politics of the university.”
