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The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has now alleged a “larger conspiracy” and “irrational behaviour” by US authorities in the case of India’s deputy consul general, Devyani Khobragade, arrested in New York on December 12 and then allowed to be released on bail.
The MEA has pressed Washington for dropping of all charges against her, plus an unconditional apology. Khobragade was arrested by the New York Police Department on December 12 while dropping her daughter to school. The charge was visa fraud and underpaying her housekeeper, Sangeeta Richard.
She was later released on a $250,000 bail and denied making any false claims, while accusing Richard of extortion, theft and blackmail.
“I leave it upon you to make a distinction over irrational behaviour (by US authorities) and the larger conspiracy (of) which we were, of course, not aware of. After reaching there, the concerned (India-based domestic assistant), who was entitled to several facilities and emoluments, realised that she needed more money and wanted to stay back in the US and she did what she intended to do. I cannot help but conclude what transpired (sic) in between. But she definitely utilised us to get a permanent citizenship there. It is part of a larger racket that goes on, of reaching a foreign destination and then seek permanent residency there,” Khurshid told Business Standard on the sidelines of an annual gathering here.
Khurshid confirmed having got a phone call from counterpart John Kerry, US Secretary of State, but said he was not in a position to receive it. As a result, Kerry was made to speak with the national security advisor, Shivshankar Menon, in which the former expressed “regret on the manner in which she (Khobragade) was treated.”
“I was in Gurgaon and he (Kerry) was on a different time zone. So, I was not available ... Well, the case has to be pursued. I am sure it will be resolved soon. Her dignity has to be preserved. India and US maintain a deep relationship and we will maintain it,” he added. (How the case unfolded)
While India has taken several steps as a response to the treatment of the 1999-batch IFS officer, the plan is to now “simply give them (US) a cold shoulder,” said a senior MEA official. Sources have also indicated that Khurshid’s refusal to receive the call from Kerry was a “gesture of snub”, as he wanted to “express his displeasure over the entire issue.”
The MEA also reacted strongly to the statement given by US prosecuting attorney Preet Bharara, who said Khobragade was not mistreated and not handcuffed in front of her daughter. He’d added she’d tried to “evade the law” and also continued “lying to the US government about what she was doing”.
Reacting to this, MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin stated there is only “one victim in this case. That victim is Devyani Khobragade. There were no courtesies in the treatment that was meted out to the diplomat”.
MEA sources also said the Indian government was upset at the fact that Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh was on a visit to the US during December 9-11, where she spoke on the India-US strategic relationship. But none of the official authorities there mentioned the impending arrest of Khobragade.
Singh also received a call from US undersecretary for political affairs Wendy Sherman on Thursday.
Also, while India maintained that Khobragade had been shifted to the country’s permanent mission in the UN that gives her total diplomatic immunity, the US state department said her diplomatic status currently is consular immunity and they’d got no communication about her transfer. Technically, the move requires state department approval.
