A professor of Kolkata's Jadavpur University was arrested on Friday for allegedly circulating defamatory e-mails directed at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, among others. His neighbour, Subrata Sengupta, was also arrested. Ambikesh Mahapatra, physical chemistry professor, and Mr. Sengupta were later released on bail amid severe condemnation of the arrests by a cross-section of the city's intellectuals and politicians, who pointed out that the move smacked of authoritarianism on the part of a government bent on stifling the freedom of expression.