India retaliates after slave-wage paying diplomat arrested in NYC

[KurtNYC]

She submitted false documents for her Visa and was paying her housekeeper less than $3 per hour in violation of US laws.

The arrest and detention of an Indian consular official in New York on visa fraud charges has created a diplomatic uproar, with punitive steps taken against State Department officials in New Delhi.
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She was not handcuffed until she arrived at the courthouse, a law enforcement source familiar with the case told CNN, calling that "a courtesy not afforded to most people," including alleged white-collar criminals.
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Khobragade, 39, was held in a cell with other females and strip-searched in New York following her arrest, the U.S. Marshals Service said, noting such treatment was standard procedure in her case and that no policies were violated. She eventually posted bond and was released.
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Indian officials have summoned U.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell, taken away U.S. diplomats' identification cards that give them diplomatic benefits, and removed security barriers outside the U.S. embassy in New Delhi.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/17/politics/india-us-diplomat/

[FarCenter]

1. India accuses US of immigration fraud, transfers Devyani Khobragade to UN mission

Narrating the sequence of events that began in June-July this year, Khurshid said the maid servant disappeared and a case was lodged with New York police department but no action was taken.

"The deputy consul general (later) received a phone call from a lawyer who refused to identify himself and offered to settle the matter that would result in grant of permanent citizenship to her and a huge compensation. It became clear that this was a conspiracy and some people trapped her," he said, adding the treatment meted out to Khobragade had "not happened out of blue" and there is a "history" behind it.

Significantly, the family of the maid, Sangeeta Richards, was granted visa by the US embassy despite India being in touch with Americans since her disappearance and cancellation of her official passport in June. The family - Sangeeta's husband Philip and two children- left for New York on December 10, just two days before Khobragade was arrested.

Given the "odd" timing of the departure of the family of the maid and arrest of Indian diplomat, there is a feeling that there were three rings of "charade" as Americans facilitated a visa fraud even after being told by India that there was a risk of illegal immigration by Sangeeta and her family.

There is also resentment among officials here who feel that the US department gave "dead wrong" information about Indian mission being informed in writing in September of allegations of abuse made by an Indian national against Khobragade and that they were in touch with India on the issue.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-accuses-US-of-immigration-fraud-transfers-Devyani-Khobragade-to-UN-mission/articleshow/27600814.cms

Timeline of Devyani Khobragade case

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Timeline-of-Devyani-Khobragade-case/articleshow/27601818.cms