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DEVAYANI KOBRAGADE & INDO-USRELATIONS

Nyayapati Gautam

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INDO US RELATIONS

June 23: The maid goes absconding.NYPD refuses to entertain Khobragade.

July 1: The diplomat gets a call from an

unidentified woman who says the maid won't movecourt if her employment is terminated and she iscompensated for 19 hours of work per day.July 2: Khobragade informs in writing to both OFMand NYPD about the call.July 5: She registers a complaint of harassment,extortion and blackmailing with NYPD.

The same day Indian summons US embassy officials

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July 8: Khobragade, who had also filed acomplaint of theft against the maid, is called toan immigration lawyer's office:

She is asked by the maid to shell out $10,000,convert her official passport into an ordinary oneand

help with her visa which would allow her to live inthe US.

Angered by these tactics, India revokes her

passport. She was now living illegally in the US.

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July 30: Consul general of India (CGI) writes to OFMagain saying that the maid, who according to a petitionby her husband in a Delhi court was in NYPD custody,be produced in the Consulate but no action will be taken.

September 4: State department steps in, writes to theIndian ambassador saying the matter was of"considerable concern" for the US.September 21: The embassy replies, saying this was

none of US' business and that the maid was seeking amonetary settlement and US visa, whereby subvertingboth Indian and US laws.September 20: Delhi HC passes an interim injunctionrestraining the maid and her husband from filing for anyaction against Khobragade in any foreign court.

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November 19: A Delhi court issues a non-bailable warrant against the maid.December 6: The warrant is forwarded to theUS embassy with an official request to arrestthe woman and facilitate her repatriation butthis is ignored.December 10: The maid's husband and childrenfly off to New York after they are given visaconfirming India's suspicion that the maid wasacting to get herself a "trafficked person" status.

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On December 11, 2013, the US statedepartment charged Devyani Khobragade.

She was charged with willfully committing visa fraud

and perjury under Title 28, United States Code,Section 1746. The charges further alleged thatKhobragade had submitted a visa application foranther individual (in this case her domestic help

Sangeeta Richard) which contained materially falseand inaccurate statements.

On December 12, Devyani was arrested in New

York.

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THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ISSUE

Manner of arrest of Devyani Khobragadehumiliating.

It also flouts Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on

Consular Relations, according to which consularofficials are not liable to arrest except in cases ofgrave crime.

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QUESTIONS

How important is India for the US? Are we just a client state for the US?

Are we just a bunch of rule breakers?

Was the governments reaction a pre-electiongambit to correct its weak image?What was Preet Bharara up to?

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QUESTIONS

Will it leave a bad taste among IFS officers?Did we really impose any costs on the US?

Contract signed for a $1.01-billion deal for supply of

six additional C-130J transport aircraft.Why did the US State Department not step inwhen there was a weak case Human

Trafficking.

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INDIAN REACTION

Removed security barriers. Asking all Consulate personnel and theirfamilies to turn in their ID cards immediately

Information on salaries paid to all Indian staffemployed at the Consulates

And by Consulate officers and families including asdomestic helps.

Expelling Wayne May and his wife, Alicia MullerMay the Community Liaison Officer.