Devyani Khobragade indicted, asked to leave USTop Stories

January 10, 2014 10:06
Devyani Khobragade indicted, asked to leave US},{Devyani Khobragade indicted, asked to leave US

(Image source from: Devyani Khobragade indicted)

Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was on Thursday asked to leave US after India refused to waive her immunity from prosecution. The same day Manhattan US attorney Preet Bharara filed the indictment against Khobragade charging her of visa fraud and making false statements at a New York court while informing the court that she now enjoys protection from immunity. On Thursday, the Indian diplomat was finally granted G-1 visa according full diplomatic immunity to Khobragade in keeping with her United Nation accreditation.

India's foreign ministry confirmed that the Indian diplomat has indeed left for India and will be posted at New delhi that will provide continued immunity on her UN credentials.

According to reports, Bharara said to a New York court that the request for G-1 visa was accepted as a denial only happens in the event of national security risks. After that the US asked India to waive Khobragade's immunity so that the Indian diplomat could be prosecuted, but New Delhi refused. So Devyani was asked to leave US. The charge against Devyani Khobragade remains, Bharara added.

Apparently, the US attorney told the court about the decision of a grand jury to indict Khobragade over the two charges, which could attract a punishment of upto 15 years. He further added that the charges against the Indian diplomat would remain till a time when she can be charged, in case her immunity is waived or she returns with a non-immune status to the US.

Devyani Khobragade, was arrested on December 12, 2013 on charges of visa fraud by United States when she was posted as India's deputy consul general in the Consulate General of India in New York. The arrest followed by mistreatment of the Indian diplomat by law enforcement officials in US led to a diplomatic tangle between India and the US.

Recently, the Indian government had stepped up pressure on US government to drop charges against the Indian diplomat. The last effort to pressurize the United States over the Devyani Khobragade case led to a postponed of further energy dialogues with US for an indefinite period.
Meanwhile, Indian officials were getting anxious about the unusual delay over the status of the G-1 visa application as the January 13 deadline for indictment was fast approaching.

(Picture Source: livemint.com)

(AW: Pratima Tigga)

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