Khobragade’s father to join protest in Delhi

Retired IAS officer Uttam Khobragade (in pic) said he would join the protest being organised on Wednesday at Jantar Mantar to demand dropping of all charges against his daughter.’Our government’s stand was that since Devyani enjoyed diplomatic immunity, the arrest and prosecution could not have been launched at all. The UN has also confirmed that an advisor has diplomatic immunity from arrest. The fact that Devyani was an advisor has not been challenged by any one. The arrest was illegal and in light of all confirmation the charges need to be dropped,’ Khobragade said.

‘If US does not drop charges, India should rethink purchase of arms from that country,’ Khobragade said, adding he has written to the defence minister on the issue.

Devyani, deputy consul general at the Indian mission in New York, was arrested in December and strip-searched over allegations of visa fraud relating to payments to her housemaid, triggering a diplomatic standoff between the two countries. She left US in January after she was granted immunity from charges of visa fraud and underpaying her maid.