London, Jan. 28 : Brazilian soccer ace Robinho was arrested for rape on Tuesday soon after flying back from his own country.

A Yorkshire University female student made the rape charge. The rape is alleged to have happened in the early hours of January 14, in the VIP area of the Space nightclub. It was reported to police that afternoon.

According to The Sun, Robinho had gone to Leeds with his teammates for a night out.

The star had spent a week in San Paulo, Brazil, when Manchester City bosses sent a private plane to pick him up.

British detectives had planned to speak to him after City's training camp in Tenerife earlier this month, but they were stunned to learn he had gone to Sao Paulo, without his club's permission, citing "personal reasons", believed to be his 25th birthday.

He arrived back in the UK on Sunday and had a pre-arranged meeting with West Yorkshire POlice officers yesterday. He returned to Manchester last night after being released on bail, the tabloid reports.

Last night, his spokesman Chris Nathaniel said: "He strenuously denies any allegation of wrongdoing or criminality and is happy to co-operate with the police if required further." (ANI)