Updated on
Summary A senior Indian official was arrested for sexual assault against a hotel maid in Pennsylvania.
Surender Mahapatra, a 1985 batch officer, was arrested in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, NDTV reported Thursday.He was part of a group of 34 officers who had gone to the US for a training workshop at Syracuse University in New York, the channel said.The course coordinator, Mr Direndra Bharghava, who was staying on the same floor as Mr Mahapatra, has told NDTV their version of events. He says that Mahapatra had a problem with his net connection and asked the reception for help.A woman came to his room but was unable to fix it and so left, he added. Some time later, the police turned up and arrested him after the woman filed a complaint. Bharghava says Mahapatra is an old man and a thorough gentleman.The Indian government is now studying the details to see what help it can offer legally. Mr Mahapatra is a joint-secretary rank officer and was travelling on an official passport. He is unlikely to get diplomatic immunity.
