The Metropolitan Police conducted a four-month investigation into harassment allegations against Jack Grove, a journalist for Times Higher Education, who had contacted Professor Jason Arday of the University of Cambridge with questions about his academic record. The inquiry, which concluded in February with no further action taken, was prompted by complaints regarding Grove's emails to Arday relating to accusations of plagiarism and controversies over Arday’s academic and extracurricular claims.

Grove had reached out to Arday, as well as the University of Cambridge and Liverpool John Moores University—where Arday earned his doctorate—following concerns raised by academics about potential overlaps between Arday’s work and that of another student. Grove also inquired into Arday’s statements about fundraising achievements, notably a claim of raising £5.5 million for charity through ultra-distance running events, which critics have questioned. Grove said he was informed by police that he should cease contact with Arday due to concerns about the professor’s mental health, though Grove denied any wrongdoing and described his inquiries as part of his journalistic duties. Grove was not interviewed during the investigation and only learned of it when police notified him of the case closure.

Professor Arday, who is noted as the youngest Black professor appointed at Cambridge, has faced scrutiny over allegations of plagiarism and embellishment of his achievements. While he denies committing academic fraud, he has admitted to certain inaccuracies, such as correcting a fundraising claim and revising the duration of an ultra-distance run from six to 12 days. He has explained some of the disputed academic errors by referencing his autism, stating that he learns through mimicry.

Further questions have arisen over Arday’s claims of holding visiting professorships at other institutions. The University of Glasgow and Ohio State University both denied that he ever held visiting professor positions at their respective institutions, with Ohio State also noting that the relevant office of diversity and inclusion had closed in the previous year. Additionally, Cambridge removed mentions of one of Arday’s degrees from their faculty page following these inquiries.

There have been mixed responses within the academic community. While some colleagues continue to support Arday, others have expressed serious concerns about his credibility, especially amid the plagiarism allegations. Notably, Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu withdrew her support after initially signing a letter defending him. Liverpool John Moores University and Cambridge University separately investigated claims of academic misconduct but did not find evidence of wrongdoing.

Arday has denied being a liar or fantasist, emphasizing that he accepts accountability for his mistakes while rejecting accusations of intentional deception. Charities mentioned in his fundraising claims, such as WaterAid, have also distanced themselves from some of his assertions, stating they did not send volunteers abroad as implied.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed receiving a harassment allegation related to the case but declined to provide further details. Both Professor Arday and the University of Cambridge have been contacted for comment but have not issued detailed responses beyond previous statements.