Washington, Nov 29: Earlier this week, an Indian American teacher was feted in Washington as the 'Oregon Professor of the Year'. If that was music to Indian ears, now comes the news of a visiting Indian professor being arrested in Lincoln, Nebraska and arraigned on charges of sexual misbehaviour with a girl student.
Debasis Chaudhuri, the 41-year-old professor of computer science, has pleaded not guilty to the three charges filed against him. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has relieved him of his teaching duties once the police arrested him last month and brought up the charges.

The girl student had complained that Chaudhury pinned her to a chair, fondled her and forced her to give her phone number when she had gone to his Ferguson Hall office on October 9 to discuss her grades. Police arrested the professor three days later.

The Daily Nebraskan, citing earlier court documents, reported that Chaudhuri had admitted to the assault, saying he had lost his mind for a few moments because of the woman's "inappropriate dress". In the court last week, however, Chaudhuri pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The case has been posted for trial on January 20. If convicted of the main charge of first-degree sexual assault, Chaudhuri could face up to 20 years in jail, a fine of up to $ 25,000 and payment of restitution to the victim.
Chaudhuri is on a nine-month teaching stint with the university since August. He is married, with his wife and child living in India.

Prior to this episode, some of his students were planning another course of action against Chaudhuri. They were planning to send a petition to the university authorities wanting him changed, as they could not understand him because of his accent.

Chaudhuri apparently got the assignment because he shared a common interest with a few professors in the field of image processing. At a convention three years ago, he had met some faculty members and enquired about a visiting professorship, departmental head Richard Sincovec has been quoted as saying.