Friday, January 10, 2014

India diplomat in visa row indicted

India diplomat Devyani Khobragade indicted in US visa row

Devyani Khobragade Ms Khobragade's case caused outrage in India

An Indian diplomat whose arrest in the US sparked protests from India has been formally indicted by a grand jury.

Prosecutors initially said Devyani Khobragade, 39, had been granted immunity and had left the US, but later said her lawyer had informed them she was still in the country.

Ms Khobragade was detained on charges of visa fraud and of underpaying her housekeeper in New York last month.

India had demanded an apology for her "humiliation" including a strip-search.

Ms Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, had been handcuffed and searched after a complaint from the maid, Sangeeta Richard.

Ms Khobragade denied all the charges and in turn accused Ms Richard of theft and attempted blackmail.

Delhi ordered a series of diplomatic reprisal measures against the US, and relations between the two countries have been strained over the case.

Security barricades around the US embassy in the capital were removed and a visiting US delegation was snubbed by senior Indian politicians and officials.

And on Wednesday, the US embassy in Delhi was ordered to stop "commercial activities on its premises". India also said that embassy cars could be penalised for traffic offences.

The embassy has been told to shut down a club within its premises which includes a pool, restaurant and tennis court, NDTV news channel said.


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