Long arm of law catches up with professor

MYSORE:  Mangalore police arrested Mysore University Professor Rasheed Ahmed in connection with the alleged sexual harassment and suicide of Sujatha, a student, in 2008.The Mangalore police, led by ACP Puttamadaiah, arrived at the Manasa Gangothri campus on Tuesday, and escorted him to Mangalore, to record his statement in connection with the case.Rasheed Ahmed, also Chairman of the Department, entrusted the question papers of a routine test to his colleague and left for Mangalore with his wife in a car.The Mysore University authorities are unhappy with the Mangalore police for taking away a professor on duty.Mysore University Registrar PS Naik said that the police had not sought their permission to take Rasheed. Registrar (Evaluation) Ramu said that ACP Puttamadaiah should have come with a warrant.He said that the police came with a memo and maintained that they want to record his statement to close the pending case in the wake of the ADGP's visit.He said that alleged sexual harassment case against the Professor has nothing to do with the University of Mysore.However, after Sujatha's suicide, her husband had complained of her being sexually harassed by Rasheed and a few others.He was transferred from Mangalore to Mysore University by the government.It is learnt that the National Human Rights Commission and Lokayukta police have completed their investigation and have submitted a report.Ahmed, who was set to retire on July 31, 2010, got two years' extension as the government increased the retirement age from 60 to 62 years.He continued in service based on the state government's order dated July 25, 2010.