Envoy was ‘trapped’ with ‘help’

New Delhi: In the escalating diplomatic row between India and the US over the mistreatment of an Indian woman diplomat in New York last week, New Delhi implied on Wednesday that the US had virtually “colluded” with her missing Indian house help Sangeeta Richard to help in her and her family’s migration to the US.

External affairs minister Salman Khurshid was blunt: he accused the US of “fraud” by granting her family visas. Not mincing words, he also said that Devyani Khobragade had been “trapped” in a “conspiracy”.

The reference was to offers that the diplomat reportedly got on the phone to settle the matter with Ms Richard by paying her a hefty compensation running into thousands of dollars, and also steps to facilitate her permanent stay in the US. This was after the diplomat had reported that her maid had absconded in June this year.

Diplomat moved to UN mission

What prompted India’s charge of “fraud” and attempted “extortion” against the US is a curious and questionable occurrence — Sangeeta Richard’s husband and two children flew to New York on December 10 with valid US visas just two days before the American authorities arrested and humiliated Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.

Having withdrawn several privileges to US consular staff working in India, the government has made it clear that it wants all charges against the diplomat dropped. It also wants an unconditional apology from the US over the treatment meted out to Ms Khob-ragade. On Wednesday, as PM Manmohan Singh said Ms Khobragade’s treatment was “deplorable”.

The diplomat has been transferred to India’s permanent mission to the UN in New York, that will provide her with full diplomatic immunity.

Launching a scathing attack on the actions of the US government even in the months preceding the diplomat’s humiliation, India said even though it was pointed out to US that Ms Richard’s case was basically one of immigration fraud, it had refused to act or even cooperate in the matter.

Both Houses of Parliament condemned the way she was mistreated and humiliated after her arrest.