The University of Missouri System sued former pharmacy professor Ashim Mitra for stealing and selling a student’s research. In January, Dr. Mitra resigned amid accusations of using students to perform “slave labor” tasks, according to University News, a student newspaper. It was also alleged that Mitra defrauded the university of at least $1.5 million by stealing a student’s research and selling it.

The suit, filed in federal court in Kansas City, accuses pharmacy professor Ashim Mitra of stealing a more effective formulation to deliver drugs to the eye from one of his graduate students, Kishore Cholkar, the student paper reported.

“I considered my life at UMKC nothing more than modern slavery,” Kamesh Kuchimanchi told the Kansas City Star.

“Slavery” to Kuchimanchi meant bailing putrid water from Mitra’s basement after a flood and serving food at Mitra’s Indian cultural celebrations off campus.

When Kuchimanchi once told Mitra he wouldn’t be a servant, the star reported, “he threatened to kick me out of the university and force me to lose my visa and lose everything. That was his ammo. Either fall in line or you would be thrown out. You didn’t want to be in that situation where you have to go back home empty-handed.” So he continued to do what Mitra asked.

Photo credit: University of Missouri Kansas City. Ashim Mitra at a university event.

UPDATE

In February 2021, the University of Missouri settled the lawsuit with Ashim Mitra. He was asked to pay the university $6.5 million, of which $1.5 million will reportedly go to Kihore Cholkar.

Mitra allegedly stole Cholkar’s research for a new eye drop solution and sold it to Sun Pharma, an Indian drug company for $1.5 million and the potential to earn $10 million more.

Mitra resigned from the university in 2019. Also, he was not allowed on campus and could not make contact with any of his former students unless authorized.

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