Professor's Award Forgery Scandal Unveiled

A Pune-based chemistry professor has been embroiled in controversy after allegedly fabricating a letter claiming his selection for a prestigious science award. Virendra Singh Yadav, an associate professor from a college in Wagholi, was taken into custody on Sunday on charges of forgery and cheating, as confirmed by local law enforcement officials.

The controversy erupted following a complaint from a security officer at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), who discovered the forgery amidst a routine scrutiny. The letter in question claimed that Yadav was selected for the 2025-26 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, now known as the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar. Significantly, it contained a forged signature of the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Somay Munde revealed that the forgery was an attempted shortcut for Yadav to elevate his status in the scientific community. Investigating officer Sub-inspector Sandip Karpe stated that Yadav remains in police custody as investigations continue into the possibility of additional collaborators in this case.

(With inputs from agencies.)