A prominent US scholar of India who was arrested after allegations of retaining classified documents and meeting Chinese officials is denying the charges against him, his lawyers said Wednesday.

Ashley Tellis, 64, who held senior positions under former president George W. Bush and remained an unpaid advisor to the State Department, was arrested Saturday and faces up to 10 years in prison.

"Ashley J. Tellis is a widely respected scholar and senior policy advisor," his lawyers, Deborah Curtis and John Nassikas, said in a statement.

"We will be vigorously contesting the allegations brought against him, specifically any insinuation of his operating on behalf of a foreign adversary," they said.

A criminal affidavit made public Tuesday said that Tellis went into the State Department late on

See Full Page