INDIA
Khobragade, who was released on $250,000 bail after pleading not guilty to the charges and surrendering her passport, faces a maximum of 15 years in jail if convicted on both counts.
Devyani Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, was arrested last week for allegedly underpaying her nanny and committing visa fraud to get her into the United States. Khobragade was handcuffed upon arrest and strip-searched before being released on bail, Indian media said.
Khobragade, who was released on $250,000 bail after pleading not guilty to the charges and surrendering her passport, faces a maximum of 15 years in jail if convicted on both counts.
U.S. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf on Monday said diplomatic security staff followed standard procedures during the arrest and then handed her over to the U.S. Marshals.
The arrest triggered fierce debate in India, with opinion divided over whether Khobragade was unfairly treated or whether she should be condemned for mistreating her domestic helper.
Live updates
* Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade put through cavity search like criminals by US Read more
* We want an unconditional apology from the US, says Union Minister Kamal Nath.
Twitter reacts as strongly as the government
* Delhi Police removed the security barricades set up outside American Embassy immediately after government announced a slew of reprisal measures over the treatment meted out to India's Deputy Consul General in New York Devyani Khobragade by the US authorities.A number of cranes, deployed by Delhi police, removed the concrete barricades outside the Embassy at the diplomatic enclave in Chanakyapuri locality of central Delhi. The police also opened the Nyaya Marg for general traffic."The Ministry of External Affairs requested us to remove these traffic measures around the US Embassy and clear the road. The Nyaya Marg has been opened for public," Special Commissioner of Delhi Police (Security) Taj Hassan said.
Delhi Police removing barricades from outside US Embassy pic.twitter.com/7TwWjc8kmK
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 17, 2013
Devyani Khobragade row : Barricades removed from outside US embassy.Road open for normal traffic pic.twitter.com/9SEUnBE5se
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 17, 2013
* Uttam Khobragade, the father of Devyani Khobragade, the diplomat who was arrested last week in connection with a visa fraud case, met Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Tuesday and said the government supports Devyani, and termed the whole incident as ‘atrocious’. Read more
* India today retaliated strongly to the arrest of its Deputy Consul General in New York by initiating series of steps to strip US diplomats and their families of privileges including withdrawing all airport passes and stopping import clearances for the embassy.
* Asking all Consulate personnel and their families to turn in their ID cards immediately, the government has also sought key information such as salaries paid to all Indian staff employed at the consulates and by Consulate officers and families including as domestic helps.
Devyani Khobragade case: More than just a question of diplomatic immunity
*"The government has asked for all US Consulate personnel's ID cards and that of their families immediately. These will now be downgraded on par with with what the US provides to our Consulates in US," sources said.
* The government has asked the US to provide it with visa information and other details of all teachers at US schools and pay and bank accounts of Indians in these schools.
* Apart from these measures, Government has stopped all import clearances for the US embassy including for liquor.
* Also, the traffic barricades near the US embassy on Nyaya Marg here will be lifted except the picket.
* India has reacted sharply to the arrest of Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade, who was handcuffed in public in New York on visa fraud charges last week. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh summoned US Ambassador Nancy Powell and issued a demarche in this regard.
* The displeasure was also evident among leaders and officials of Indian government who cancelled their meetings with visiting US Congressional delegation. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today cancelled his meeting with the US team ostensibly as a mark of protest against the treatment meted out to Khobragade.
* Yesterday, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had cancelled her meeting with a senior US Congressional delegation due to the same reason.
* National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, who also had a scheduled meeting with the five-member US team, did not meet them, apparently for the same reason.
* The delegation comprised Congressmen George Holding (Republican - North Carolina), Pete Olson (Republican - Texas) David Schweikert (Republican - Arizona), Robert Woodall (Republican - Georgia), Madeleine Bordallo (Democrat - Guam).
* 39-year-old Khobragade, a 1999-batch IFS officer, was taken into custody last week on visa fraud charges on a street in New York as she was dropping her daughter to school before being released on a $250,000 bond after pleading not guilty in court.
* India calls for details including salaries paid to all Indian staff employed at the US consulates, including Consulate officers & family.
* Stops all import clearances for US embassy including food and liquor.
Angry over the "despicable" and "barbaric" treatment meted out to its diplomat, India Tuesday asked US diplomats to turn in their IDs even as Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde declined to meet a visiting US Congressional delegation.
Rahul Gandhi and Shinde on Tuesday refused to meet the US Congressional delegation, comprising Republican and Democrat members, to highlight India's strong disapproval of the arrest, handcuffing and strip search of diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York last week.
Also read: My daughter is being made a scapegoat: Devyani Khobragade's father
US diplomats in consulates have been asked to surrender their IDs, a source said.
On Monday, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon cancelled their meetings separately with the visiting US delegation.
The NSA is known to have described the treatment meted out to Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York, as "barbaric" and "despicable", a source said.
Khobragade was strip searched, confined to a cell with drug addicts and also subjected to DNA swabbing, sources confirmed said.
Speaker Meira Kumar, herself a former Indian career diplomat, declined to meet the US delegation "as a sign of displeasure" over the treatment meted out Khobragade.
BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi too declined to meet the US team. He tweeted: "Refused to meet the visiting USA delegation in solidarity with our nation, protesting ill-treatment meted to our lady diplomat in USA."
Khobragade, one of India's senior diplomats in New York, was charged last week with visa fraud and making false statements.
She was accused by Manhattan's Indian American US Attorney Preet Bharara of visa fraud and exploiting her babysitter and housekeeper. She was handcuffed in public by law enforcement authorities in New York Thursday while she was dropping her daughter at school.
India has termed the treatment meted out to the envoy as "absolutely unacceptable". US Ambassador Nancy Powell was summoned to South Block by Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh on Dec 13 and a strong protest was lodged over the treatment.
The US delegation is led by Congressmen George Holding (Republican-North Carolina), and comprises Pete Olson (Republican-Texas), David Schweikert (Republican-Arizona), Robert Woodall (Republican-Arizona) and Madeleine Bordallo (Democrat-Guam).
When PM Modi's one-word SMS to Ratan Tata brought Nano to Gujarat
PM Modi holds bilateral talks with his Laos counterpart Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane
Meet man, who is behind over 9% surge in Bandhan Bank share price today
Narayana Murthy's next BIG step, Infosys to no longer send job offer letters, the company will...
Vishal Tinani awarded for Legal Excellence by Sachin Pilot
Your FAVOURITE car doesn't have steering wheels or pedals, is priced at Rs...
Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma deletes post on Ratan Tata after backlash, he said…
Ratan Tata became favourite customer of THIS Mumbai newspaper vendor due to...
Harbhajan Singh predicts this star player will attract bidding war in IPL auction, he is...
Ratan Tata, veteran industrialist, passes away at 86, TCS mourns
'You're not a…': Nitish Kumar Reddy reveals what Gautam Gambhir said before 2nd T20I vs BAN
Aniruddhacharya aka Pookie Baba apologises publically after appearing on Bigg Boss 18, watch video
Mukesh Ambani surpasses Gautam Adani, takes top spot on THIS list, his net worth jumps to...
'An era has just passed away': Amitabh Bachchan mourns Ratan Tata's demise, pens an emotional note
Ratan Tata’s pet dog 'Goa' attends his funeral, bids him emotional final goodbye
Happy Maha Ashtami 2024: Top 10 best wishes, messages to share with your loved ones on Durgashtmi
At least 22 killed in airstrikes in central Beirut, 117 injured
Manager sues this bank for Rs 416711420 after getting fired due to...
One flight made Amitabh Bachchan 'Sharaabi', changed his life, made him superstar
Centre declares Hizb-Ut-Tahrir as terrorist organisation for involvement in...
Mukesh Ambani gets richer by Rs 23088 crore in Forbes Billionaires list, his net worth is Rs…
Meet man who began his career at SBI, now set to lead Rs 30246 crore company as...
Happy birthday Amitabh Bachchan: When Bombay To Goa was offered to Rajiv Gandhi and not him
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope spots Jupiter's great Red Spot shaking like...
'It was my...': Javed Akhtar REVEALS reason behind his failed first marriage with Honey Irani
Dawood Ibrahim is scared of me, says Bigg Boss 18 contestant Gunratan Sadavarte
Who is Zarin Daruwala, Standard Chartered's India CEO set to retire in April 2025?
Madhura Naik recalls family's encounter with Hamas militants, says 'it was...’
Big setback for India as Rohit Sharma may miss first Test of Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia
DSP to IPS officer: Meet woman who cracked UPSC exam in first attempt, her AIR was...
'I would feel like jumping off...': When Mrunal Thakur revealed she had suicidal thoughts due to...
Bigg Boss 18: These five contestants are nominated for eviction in first week of Salman Khan's show
Rohit Sharma meets injured Musheer Khan after accident, pic goes viral
Women's T20 World Cup 2024: How can India qualify for semifinals after 82-run win over Sri Lanka?
When Ratan Tata kneeled down with MBA graduates to pose for photo; see viral pic
Joe Root scripts history in Multan Test, joins Virat Kohli in THIS elite list
Ratan Tata did THIS work in 20 days, but govt took years to do it
PAK vs ENG: Harry Brook breaks Virender Sehwag's 20-year-old record with triple century vs Pakistan
When I Told World Icon Ratan Tata ‘You Are the Real James Bond of the Business Community’: Jay Patel
Good news! UP govt declares public holiday on THIS day; check details
How Ratan Tata's dog 'Goa' got his name, know story behind it
Nobel Prize 2024 in Literature awarded to Han Kang: Who is she?
PAK vs ENG: Joe Root equals Sachin Tendulkar's record with heroics in Multan Test
Daily Habits to Rejuvenate Your Eye Contour
WATCH: Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani and family pay homage to Ratan Tata at NCPA
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal announces retirement, ends illustrious career with 22 Grand Slam titles
Virat Kohli's old video singing 'sajna ve sajna' with Harbhajan Singh goes viral again, watch video
Bitcoin creator's true identity exposed in an HBO documentary, he is…
Ratan Tata's influence continues as Tata Group shares including Tata Power, Tata Steel rise
'His loss will be...': Bill Gates shares photo with Ratan Tata, calls him 'visionary leader'
IND vs BAN: Riyan Parag bowls with bizarre action, ends up bowling rare no-ball, watch viral video
ZEE proposes biographical film on Ratan Tata's life as humble tribute to his legacy
Will Samajwadi Party's alliance with Congress continue? SP chief Akhilesh Yadav breaks his silence
From 'Ugly Duckling' to 'White Swan': Kabir Bedi traces Rekha's remarkable journey as she turns 70
Ratan Tata didn’t recognise Amitabh Bachchan while traveling together, superstar then...
An untold story: Here's how Ratan Tata extended unwavering support to victims of 26/11 attack
Another masterstroke by Gautam Adani, plans to raise more than Rs 1,67,92,60,00,000 through…
Beyond Cash and Cards: Rise of AI-Powered Payment
Meet woman, Tata Son's first female director who shaped Ratan Tata's personality, for whom he left…
Hunter's Moon October 2024: When, where to watch biggest supermoon of the year
7th Pay Commission: Good news for central govt employees, 3% DA hike likely to be announced on...