In a stunning reversal that surely took no one by surprise, the University of Cambridge has announced an investigation into Professor Jason Arday, the academic previously defended as 'the victim of a vile campaign' despite mounting evidence to the contrary. The university, which initially stood by Arday - the youngest Black professor in its history, with a heartwarming rags-to-riches story - has apparently decided that 'new information' about his qualifications and honorary appointments warrants a closer look.

Arday, who has been accused of plagiarising his PhD thesis and some published research, denies the allegations. An earlier investigation by Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded his PhD in 2015, found no plagiarism but attributed the issues to 'honest and reasonable error' - a phrase that suggests the academic equivalent of 'oops, my bad.'

Arday's response to the controversy is characteristically philosophical: 'I am accountable for the mistakes I've made. I hold myself accountable and other people should hold me accountable. We're talking about academia here. I didn't murder somebody.' True, plagiarism isn't murder, but it's not exactly a glowing recommendation either. He also decried the 'cruelty' and the 'positioning of me as this kind of liar and fantasist' as 'totally unacceptable.'

The Guardian's own investigation uncovered discrepancies in Arday's public accounts, including prodigious fundraising feats and claims of being targeted by knife-wielding masked intruders - details that sound more like a blockbuster script than a CV.

Cambridge's statement, released Wednesday evening, strikes a tone of solemn duty: 'The University of Cambridge has begun an investigation following new information about Prof Arday's academic qualifications and honorary appointments. In order to ensure a fair process, we will not comment further until this has concluded.' They also noted 'ongoing complaints regarding academic misconduct' and emphasised the importance of thoroughness, university policies, and employment law. And, in a nod to the human element, they added, 'We also fully recognise that there is a person at the centre of this situation, and we continue to provide support to him.'

One can only hope that support includes a good editor and a fact-checker.