Global InformationDevyani Khobragade incident information
On December 11, 2013, Devyani Khobragade, then the Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General of India in New York City, was charged by U.S. authorities with committing visa fraud and providing false statements in order to gain entry to the United States for Sangeeta Richard,[1] a woman of Indian nationality, for employment as a domestic worker for Khobragade in New York.[2] She was additionally charged with failing to pay the domestic worker a minimum wage.[3]
Khobragade was arrested the next day by U.S. federal law enforcement authorities,[4] subjected to a "strip search", presented to a judge, and released the same day.[5][6] Her arrest and treatment received much media attention particularly in India, and led to a diplomatic row between India and the United States.[7][8]
One week later, Khobragade was transferred by the government of India to the UN mission in New York, subject to clearance from the United States Department of State, which would entitle her to full diplomatic immunity.[9] Her former post entitled her only to consular immunity.
On January 8, 2014, the U.S. issued Khobragade the G-1 visa that granted her full diplomatic immunity.[10] Following this an unknown US State official is reported to have stated "The US requested waiver of immunity (of Devyani Khobragade). India denied that request. We then requested her departure, as per the standard procedure and the charges remain in place."[11] The next day, Khobragade left the United States by plane to India.[12] That same day she was indicted by a federal grand jury with visa fraud and making false statements.[12]
On March 12, 2014, Judge Shira Scheindlin ordered that all charges against Khobragade be dismissed because she had diplomatic immunity at the time of her indictment on visa fraud charges due to her posting to the United Nations prior to the indictment.[13][14] Two days later, Khobragade was re-indicted on the same charges.[15][16]
- ^ This article renders her family as Richard. Some sources, including some cited in this article, render her name as Richards.
- ^ "Who is Devyani Khobragade?". The Times of India.
- ^ "Indian Diplomatic Row: Devyani Khobragade Arrest to Be Reviewed". Time.
- ^ Harris, Gardiner (December 17, 2013). "Diplomat's Arrest in New York". The New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
- ^ "Indian official: Diplomat's arrest in NYC barbaric". Associated Press. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
- ^ "US admits diplomat Devyani Khobragade strip-searched as India launches reprisals over arrest". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
- ^ "Row deepens". BBC. December 17, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
- ^ "India takes US head on". The Economic Times. December 17, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
- ^ "India accuses US of immigration fraud, transfers Devyani to permanent mission at UN". The Times of India. December 18, 2013.
- ^ Ghosh, Deepshikha (January 10, 2014). "Devyani Khobragade gets full diplomatic immunity, on her way to India". NDTV. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
- ^ "Devyani Khobragade Case India refuses US request to waive immunity". NDTV.
- ^ a b Neumeister, Larry; Lee, Matthew (January 9, 2014). "Strip-Searched Diplomat Indicted on Fraud Charge". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
droppedwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
dismissedwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
re-indictedwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Reuters14032014was invoked but never defined (see the help page).