Thursday, December 19, 2013
Timeline of articles in The Hindu (from Washington) on the #Khobragade case
December 12, 2013: Devyani Khobragade, India's Deputy Consul General in New York, is arrested by the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service not far from the school where she just dropped off her daughter. Felony charge details are given in the criminal complaint publicly released by Southern District Court of New York: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/indian-diplomat-arrested-on-visa-fraud-charges/article5452670.ece
December 13, 2013: The Hindu learns of Ms. Khobragade's conditions of bail from the SDNY, the plaintiff in the criminal case against the Indian diplomat. No luck yet reaching the attorneys of the domestic worker, Sangeeta Richard, allegedly defrauded of her dues by Khobragade: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/diplomat-had-to-pay-250000-bond/article5456731.ece
December 13, 2013: The Hindu speaks with Ms. Khobragade's father, Mumbai-based former bureaucrat Uttam, whose early comments cast doubt on whether, as many were already arguing, the Deputy Consul General had been handcuffed. That allegation was later described as false, by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/domestic-assistant-had-no-complaints-earlier-says-diplomats-father/article5456905.ece
December 13, 2013: The Hindu gets the first official reaction of the State Department on the matter of whether Ms. Khobragade's consular immunity granted vide the 1963 Vienna Convention protected her from personal acts. Answer: No. http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/consular-immunity-doesnt-cover-personal-acts-state-department/article5457356.ece
December 14, 2013: The Hindu speaks with Daniel Arshack, Ms. Khobragade's attorney, who offers further clarifications on the conditions of her release and bail and also on her treatment during the arrest. He says that although she was “treated incredibly shabbily” and was not presented with the opportunity to surrender, he was “confident of her complete vindication.” Meanwhile Indian officials give the U.S. a "strong demarche." http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-reiterates-objections-to-diplomats-treatment/article5459582.ece
December 16, 2013: Meanwhile as India comes to grips with the arrest, a sense of outrage spreads through the establishment and visiting U.S. Congressional heads are snubbed. Simultaneously reports start surfacing that Ms. Khobragade was strip-searched while in the custody of U.S. Marshals: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/speaker-cancels-meeting-with-us-congressional-team-over-envoy-arrest/article5467236.ece
December 16, 2013: As outrage mounts and allegations, some apparently deliberately misleading, start to fly about, The Hindu clarifies some important facts on the accuracy 'strip-search' reports, the question of consular immunity and the circumstances of Ms. Khobragade's arrest: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/doubt-hangs-over-conditions-of-indian-diplomats-detention/article5467249.ece
December 17, 2013: Cognisant of the intricacies of multi-agency operations in such cases, here involving the State and Justice Departments and the U.S. Marshals Service, the State Department takes a cautious approach to judging how Ms. Khobragade was treated during her detention. If only others were as circumspect! http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/us-looking-into-arrest-procedures/article5471102.ece
December 17, 2013: After the State Department refers us to the U.S. Marshals Service on what happened to Ms. Khobragade while she was in detention, and the USMS simply referenced its standard protocols, The Hindu sought to fill this important blank spot in knowledge by getting deeper into these protocols: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/detention-procedures-applicable-to-khobragade-us-clarifies/article5473109.ece
December 18, 2013: Even as India undertakes strong retaliatory measures, including removing protective barriers at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, U.S. Secretary of State seeks to de-escalate the crisis with an expression of regret. Meanwhile more attention focuses on Ms. Khobragade's treatment and reaction in New York: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/issue-must-not-be-allowed-to-hurt-ties/article5476892.ece
December 19, 2013: After a week of intense, fast-paced developments, multiple statements and diplomatic repartee, The Hindu parses the two broad narratives that have emerged, with a generous helping of factual recount thrown in, in the interest of clarity and balance. Context on the U.S.' fight against human trafficking-related crime is provided too: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/laffair-khobragade-a-tale-of-two-narratives/article5479354.ece
December 19 2013: Facts are important. In his statement on Wednesday evening Mr. Bharara refutes the claim, made by so many (and questioned by The Hindu on December 13), that Ms. Khobragade was handcuffed upon arrest: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/prosecutor-denies-devyani-was-handcuffed/article5480186.ece
December 19, 2013: Finally, a week after Ms. Khobragade's arrest the story of her alleged victim, Ms. Richard, starts to get told. The Hindu adds information on legal precedents in the U.S.' fight in 'maid abuse' cases: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/devyani-grossly-underpaid-domestic-worker-say-lawyers/article5478013.ece
December 19, 2013: Although India's Ministry of External Affairs was trying to be creative in having Ms. Khobragade reassigned to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations (with full diplomatic immunity) the State Department (which has to sign off on any potential transfer) pours cold water on that prospect: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/us-says-un-immunity-for-khobragade-not-retroactive/article5481901.ece
December 19, 2013: Even as Indian leaders are quoted calling for the charges against Ms. Khobragade to be dropped after Secretary Kerry expressed regret, the State Department makes clear that that is unlikely and stands in solidarity with Mr. Bharara's office: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/us-rules-out-dropping-charges-against-khobragade/article5482080.ece
December 19, 2013: Although India's Ministry of External Affairs was trying to be creative in having Ms. Khobragade reassigned to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations (with full diplomatic immunity) the State Department (which has to sign off on any potential transfer) pours cold water on that prospect: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/us-says-un-immunity-for-khobragade-not-retroactive/article5481901.ece
December 19, 2013: Even as Indian leaders are quoted calling for the charges against Ms. Khobragade to be dropped after Secretary Kerry expressed regret, the State Department makes clear that that is unlikely and stands in solidarity with Mr. Bharara's office: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/us-rules-out-dropping-charges-against-khobragade/article5482080.ece
Labels: Department of Justice, Devyani, diplomatic immunity, domestic worker, human trafficking, India, Khobragade, Preet Bharara, Richard, Sangeeta, State Department, strip-search, U.S. Marshals
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
‘State Department examining Kamal Nath issue'
From The Hindu
The Indian Embassy here said it had taken up the question of diplomatic immunity for Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath with the State Department.
Earlier a State Department spokesman has said that the question of granting diplomatic immunity to Indian Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, in a case that had been filed against him in the United States, was “under review.”
In response to a question from The Hindu, Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Cowley said, “We are following closely a civil complaint involving Minister Kamal Nath. This is still a legal process that is unfolding.”
Mr. Nath faces the possibility of prosecution under a case filed against him in April 2010 by, alleging that he was involved in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
Mr. Crowley added that it was unclear as to whether there was any “live action against Minister Nath” and what its content might be, pointing out that the plaintiffs, an NGO called Sikhs for Justice, had until February 9 to file an amended complaint.
Mr. Crowley’s comment that the State Department “had not made any determination at this point,” came even as Virander Paul, Minister for Press at the Indian embassy in Washington, confirmed to The Hindu that India had taken up the question of diplomatic immunity Mr. Nath, with the State Department.
“The State Department is examining it,” Mr. Paul said, adding that the embassy had not yet received an answer on its query.
The Indian Embassy here said it had taken up the question of diplomatic immunity for Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath with the State Department.
Earlier a State Department spokesman has said that the question of granting diplomatic immunity to Indian Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, in a case that had been filed against him in the United States, was “under review.”
In response to a question from The Hindu, Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Cowley said, “We are following closely a civil complaint involving Minister Kamal Nath. This is still a legal process that is unfolding.”
Mr. Nath faces the possibility of prosecution under a case filed against him in April 2010 by, alleging that he was involved in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
Mr. Crowley added that it was unclear as to whether there was any “live action against Minister Nath” and what its content might be, pointing out that the plaintiffs, an NGO called Sikhs for Justice, had until February 9 to file an amended complaint.
Mr. Crowley’s comment that the State Department “had not made any determination at this point,” came even as Virander Paul, Minister for Press at the Indian embassy in Washington, confirmed to The Hindu that India had taken up the question of diplomatic immunity Mr. Nath, with the State Department.
“The State Department is examining it,” Mr. Paul said, adding that the embassy had not yet received an answer on its query.
Labels: anti-Sikh riots, diplomatic immunity, Kamal Nath
Monday, January 24, 2011
Embassy raises Kamal Nath immunity question with State Department
From The Hindu
The Indian embassy in Washington said that it had taken up the question of diplomatic immunity, for Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, with the State Department.
Mr. Nath faces the possibility of prosecution under a case filed against him in April 2010 by an NGO, Sikhs for Justice, alleging that he was involved in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
“The State Department is examining it,” Virander Paul, Minister for Press at the embassy, said to The Hindu, adding that the embassy had not yet received an answer on its query.
Media reports quoted State Department officials saying that they had “not made any determination on this point.”
The Indian embassy in Washington said that it had taken up the question of diplomatic immunity, for Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, with the State Department.
Mr. Nath faces the possibility of prosecution under a case filed against him in April 2010 by an NGO, Sikhs for Justice, alleging that he was involved in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
“The State Department is examining it,” Virander Paul, Minister for Press at the embassy, said to The Hindu, adding that the embassy had not yet received an answer on its query.
Media reports quoted State Department officials saying that they had “not made any determination on this point.”
Labels: anti-Sikh riots, diplomatic immunity
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