Govt strips Devyani Khobragade off her duties, puts her on 'compulsory wait'

New Delhi: The government on Thursday stripped diplomat Devyani Khobragade off her duties in the Ministry of External Affairs, days after she spoke to media without seeking permission.

Reportedly, Khobragade was stripped of her duties as director in the Development Partnership Division and has further been placed on "compulsory wait".

"The reports are not incorrect. It is true that she has been placed on compulsory wait," a source in the ministry told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that Khobragade now faces an administrative inquiry.

MEA Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said the action taken against Khobragade is related to an ongoing inquiry against her in a vigilance case.

Vigilance case against Khobragade is underway on charges that she had failed to disclose that her husband is a US citizen and that she has got US passports for her two children.

A 1999-batch IFS officer, Khobragade, was arrested on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid. She was released on a $250,000 bond.

The diplomat was strip searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two sides with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats.

After the row broke out, Khobragade was transferred to India's permanent mission to the UN. Following her arrest, her passport was kept in court's custody.