PTI

New Delhi, May 29: An Indian-born IITian Rajadata A Patkar has been arrested by the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for allegedly blackmailing a top US official over a 'sexual exploitation' row.

Rajadata, who according to his family was also the Japanese interpreter for the late former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, has been in the custody of the US police since March 3, 2007 for allegedly blackmailing Robert alias Bob Awana, Secretary to the Governor of Hawai, over the latter's alleged sexual exploitation of Jullie Mae, a Philippine national and the accused's girl friend.

The allegation against Rajadata was that while working in Tokyo he hacked the e-mail ID of his girl friend from which he learnt of her alleged sexual exploitation by the US official.

Subsequently, it was alleged that Rajadata started blackmailing Awana and reportedly pocketed about 4000 US dollars, a charge which has been denied by him.

In a habeous petition filed before the Supreme Court on Monday, Patkar's mother Snehalata Patkar sought production of her son in India on the ground that his arrest by the US police on "false charges" was illegal and Rajadata being an Indian citizen can be tried only in India for the alleged offence.

A bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and D K Jain however, rejected the petition on the reasoning that it cannot give any directions to the US administration.