India expels US diplomat in tit-for-tat action

[IndoCarib]

New Delhi/New York: Diplomat Devyani Khobragade flew back to India on Friday after a deal between the US and India in which she was indicted but granted diplomatic immunity from visa fraud charges. India has now expelled an American diplomat of similar rank from Delhi, in a sign of lingering bitterness between the two countries.

1. Hours after Devyani Khobragade took a flight back home, India asked the US to withdraw an officer from its New Delhi embassy. Sources say India accuses this officer of a role in the events leading up to the diplomat's arrest.
2. Ms Khobragade's late night flight followed dramatic developments over 48 hours that saw hardball negotiations between India and the US, ending in an agreement whereby Devyani Khobragade left the country, armed with full diplomatic immunity from visa fraud charges, but will still face these charges if she returns.
3. India rejected America's request to waive Ms Khobragade's immunity, after which she was asked to exit the country, leaving her two young children behind. They are likely to join her later. (read:India refuses US request to waive immunity)
4. The 39-year-old diplomat was on Wednesday granted a G1 visa by the US, which gives her full diplomatic immunity. India had transferred her to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations to enable her G-visa, which is issued to foreign government representatives working in international organisations in the US.
5. A US grand jury indicted her on Thursday on two counts, for visa fraud and making false statements to get a work visa for Sangeeta Richard, her housekeeper in New York. (Read: Indian diplomat arrested in US for alleged visa fraud)
6. Before leaving for India, Ms Khobragade asserted that she was innocent. "All charges against me are false and baseless," she said. The diplomat said she was determined to ensure that the episode did not leave a lasting imprint on her family. (read: Devyani Khobragade's statement)
7. Her father Uttam Khobragade said in Delhi, "Devyani was fighting to uphold the sovereignty of this country. When alternatives were offered she sacrificed the personal comfort."
8. The BJP said bringing back Devyani Khobragade was India's defeat, as the charges against her will not be dropped.
9. Ms Khobragade was arrested on December 12 while dropping her children off at school in New York, where she was serving as deputy consul general. She was strip searched and held with criminals, triggering a massive row with India unleashing retaliatory measures to downgrade the privileges of American diplomats. (Devyani Khobragade case: US embassy asked to stop commercial activities)

Ms Khobragade's former domestic help Sangeeta Richard has made a statement justifying her allegations of exploitation. "I never thought that things would get so bad here, that I would work so much that I did not have time to sleep or eat or have time to myself. I would like to tell other domestic workers who are suffering as I did - you have rights and do not let anyone exploit you." Her statement was released by the anti-trafficking group Safe Horizon.


Devyani Khobragade sent home after hard negotiations, India expels US diplomat in tit-for-tat action | NDTV.com

 

[Bhai Zakir]

Very good decision. Now:

1.) Prosecute her for Adarsh scam.

2.) Investigate how BJP allowed out of the law to help her in IFS and German language selection.

3.) Investigate how congress allot her flat in Aadarsh.

She is a proof of real elite who enjoys favors from both the BJP and congress.

 

[HunterKiller]

@Bhai Zakir : and who will prosecute, investigate her..? Whom do you expect..? Congress..? BJP ..? Fact is that nothing will happen to her, this whole episode will soon be forgotten by common people. But the issue will be brought back time and again, whenever needed, to fulfill political motivations ..

 

[Bhai Zakir]

@Bhai Zakir : and who will prosecute, investigate her..? Whom do you expect..? Congress..? BJP ..? Fact is that nothing will happen to her, this whole episode will soon be forgotten by common people. But the issue will be brought back time and again, whenever needed, to fulfill political motivations ..

That's the hard truth people are fed up with the CONgress, raul vinchi and bhartiya janaja party but there is no alternative in sight even AAP its having many naxal supporters and CIA backing.

 

[HunterKiller]

That's the hard truth people are fed up with the CONgress, raul vinchi and bhartiya janaja party but there is no alternative in sight even AAP its having many naxal supporters and CIA backing.

AAP having Naxal support..!! You gotta be kidding me ..!! They are NOT ideology driven...

 

[Solomon2]

Very good decision. Now: Prosecute her for Adarsh scam.

I don't think that can happen. According to the MFA spokesman Khobragade is going to be a U.N. employee possessing full diplomatic immunity with New Delhi as her station.

 

[SwAggeR]

The unnamed Director-rank American diplomat based in New Delhi was given "a little more than 48 hours" to leave India even as Khobragade was on her way home from New York, where the US government finally approved her accreditation to the UN which gave her full diplomatic immunity as against partial immunity at the time of her arrest on 12 December when she was Deputy Consul General there.

India's tit-for-tat action is only the second instance of a US diplomat being expelled, the first instance being expulsion of George Griffin, then political Counsellor, 33 years ago. That was in retaliation against similar action being taken by the US against Prabhakar Menon, an Indian diplomat.

Refraining from using the term "expulsion", official sources said here that the US Embassy has been asked to "withdraw" one of its diplomats of similar rank as that of Khobragade, which the government "have reasons to believe, is closely involved in the processes relating to this case and subsequent unilateral action by the US." However, the sources did not divulge the name of the American diplomat.

The diplomat was understood to be closely involved in the "evacuation" of the family of Khobragade's absconding maid Sangeeta Richard.

Earlier today in New York, Khobragade was indicted for visa fraud and making false statements by a grand jury which held that the charges against her will remain with main prosecutor Preet Bharara saying, "There will not need to be an arraignment on the indictment scheduled at this time. We understand that the defendant was very recently accorded diplomatic immunity status.

"Therefore, the charges will remain pending until such time as she can be brought to Court to face the charges, either through a waiver of immunity or the defendant’s return to the United States in a non-immune status....".

It is understood that it was always the effort of the government to bring back Khobragade, who had surrendered her passport after the arrest and was out on a bail of $250,000, through G-1 visa route which would have given her full immunity.

Khobragade fallout: India expels senior US diplomat | Firstpost

Khobragade fallout: India expels senior US diplomat | Firstpost

 

[IndoCarib]

AAP having Naxal support..!! You gotta be kidding me ..!! They are NOT ideology driven...

dont be so naive. AAP is the pretty face of Naxals.

 

[Bhai Zakir]

I don't think that can happen. According to the MFA spokesman Khobragade is going to be a U.N. employee possessing full diplomatic immunity with New Delhi as her station.

I am talking about her involvement in a scam in India she have illegally got a apartment meant for the families of military personals and Kargil war heroes.

 

[Thirdfront]

I am talking about her involvement in a scam in India she have illegally got a apartment meant for the families of military personals and Kargil war heroes.

He has be posting this curious thing on atleast one another post. He really thinks diplomats are exempted from prosecution even in their host country!!!

 

[faithfulguy]

Its time for US to close all the consulates in India. Americans are not safe is a lawless country.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Its time for US to close all the consulates in India. Americans are not safe is a lawless country.

yes indeed as the way those US diplomats were getting privileges and considerations in India beyond the laws of the land right from the beginning - it is pretty evident that something got wrong with the Law Enforcement Authorities but as of now it has been corrected - And yes we don't care whether they open or close their respective consulates in India - they can as per their will - we have no problem - go on! - The US diplomats will be considered the way our diplomats are considered in the US - that's it!