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Indian deputy consul general arrested in US on visa fraud charges

BBC News - Who, What, Why: Does Devyani Khobragade have diplomatic immunity?

Who, What, Why: Does Devyani Khobragade have diplomatic immunity?
19 December 2013 Last updated at 17:31 ETBy Tara McKelvey BBC News
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Deputy consul general Devyani Khobragade was arrested in New York on suspicion of visa fraud. Can she claim diplomatic immunity?

If you are a diplomat abroad, you can get away with murder.

The provision is spelt out in treaties. The 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations says diplomats are immune from prosecution in a host country if they break the law.

It does not matter if you are working or off-duty (though back home you can be prosecuted). If you are a consul, however, you are only shielded if you break the law while you are working.

For that reason, say experts, Ms Khobragade, as deputy consul general, could be prosecuted for the crimes she has been accused of. If you are a consular general, you have "consular immunity", rather than "diplomatic immunity".

Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), individuals are protected from a host country's laws only when the offences are related to their consular duties.

There are different rules for ambassadors because of their responsibilities. A consul general helps people from their home country with visas, trade and other issues. Meanwhile a diplomat works directly with people in the host country.

"If a state could arrest a diplomat, it would interfere with their ability to do their job," said Duncan Hollis, editor of the Oxford Guide to Treaties.

Hiring a maid
According to federal-court documents, Ms Khobragade claimed on a visa application that she would pay a maid, Sangeeta Richard, $4,500 (£2,746) a month. That is the minimum required by labour laws.

In fact, said US investigators, two contracts were drawn up. One paid Ms Richard $573 per month.

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Protesters at the US consulate in Hyderabad say Ms Khobragade was treated unfairly
Hiring a maid is not part of a deputy consul's job, as Mr Hollis said. Therefore a consular general could be prosecuted for offences relating to the hiring of domestic staff.

"Diplomats get immunity for everything - your maids, your murders," he said. "But if you're consular general and you're off the clock..."

Indian officials said they have moved Ms Khobragade to the United Nations. UN officials have to accept her credentials. In addition US state department officials have to sign off.

"By changing her status, Indian officials are signalling that they understand she would not be protected by consular immunity," said Mr Hollis.

Ms Khobragade is part of India's foreign service, said Shuja Nawaz, director of the South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council in Washington. She belongs to the mid-level part of the bureaucracy, not the top.

Yet the arrest of Ms Khobragade has become a sore point between the US and India. "It's a symbolic issue of the way she was treated," he said.

'Take a deep breath'
In some ways, said Mr Hollis, the reaction in India evoked the time when International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was indicted on charges that included attempted rape. The case was dismissed in August 2011.

"In France they were outraged at the way he was treated - the perp walk," said Mr Hollis. "You see some of that in India. It's, 'hey, this is a deputy counsel general. What are you doing treating her this way?'"

Mr Nawaz said the controversy over Ms Khobragade has become "a very big distraction" - and is hurting US-India relations. "Both sides need to take a deep breath and step back."

So far that has not happened.
 
Under INDIA LAW, strip search and cavity search constitutes RAPE.

The LAW is very clear on this. The Indian Diplomat was RAPED in the US by US officials.

Her personal assets in India is not relevant to the case.

Under U.s law it does not, bhai you win, what else....bring her back , also the maid ......forget the little detail of falsification of data....sentence the maid for absconding and being clever...lagey haath deviyani ji ko promotion bhi de do.

That is true. I must stop replying to every retard and idiot that comes here. Just the fact that his retard claims to be an Indian provokes me to reply.

You see what you want to see, what you perceive yourself to be.Please keep the discussion civil, name calling is the last resort of the foolish.
 
Under U.s law it does not, bhai you win, what else....bring her back , also the maid ......forget the little detail of falsification of data....sentence the maid for absconding and being clever...lagey haath deviyani ji ko promotion bhi de do.

I do not care about US law. I am an Indian citizen and that lady was an Indian citizen too and an Indian diplomat. So protection to her under Indian law is required by our CONSTITUTION.

Under INDIA LAW, she was RAPED and she needs to get Justice.

Deviyani is an Indian Hero, the Maid is a fugitive under INDIAN LAW and has also played a big role in damaging India's honor and reputation globally just for getting a US visa. She is guilty of Anti National activities in my eyes. In short, she gets NO sympathy.

You see what you want to see, what you perceive yourself to be.Please keep the discussion civil, name calling is the last resort of the foolish.

Recognizing Fools and labeling them as one is NOT name calling. Avoiding fools is a good strategy, one which I plan to adopt. Hence forth do not reply to my post.
 
So this so called diplomat wasn't even a diplomat but a counselor worker and thus doesn't have diplomatic immunity.

Not only that she flew a maid all the way from India to take care of child instead of hiring one locally in New York and not only that enslaved her and paid her below minimum wage and now rumors are out and about that this whole endeavor was nothing more than a ponzi scheme for this maid and her family to get US Green Cards.

India needs to find better diplomats
 
WTH . what the fk .

sorry Indians i dint read earlier that what cavity search is . Now after reading this , this is utterly stupid on part of Americans to sexually harass people in name of cavity search.

i was under impression as if vehicle cavities were searched.

this is clearly disgusting.

what the hell they look for cavities of human ? :angry:

i wish some day when they dip the finger, the victim release some shit on it
 
@adwityagrata stop talking to idiots , he clearly has failed to counter any of your points


@queerbait My dear American apologist , America is far worse when it comes to Rapes than India , at-least India don't rape diplomats fully sanctioned by the govt. Just because raping someone is legal under some silly excuse does not make it allright ...

You still failed very clearly to counter his points

I am not an american apologist .....far from it i hate many american policies.....but does that gives me a license to be prejudged in every case that america is a party to.I am nationalist too, does that carry a moral obligation to be blindly patriotic.Again Strip search by an official female is not a RAPE, neither MEA has called it so.It is practiced in many nations, following due procedures and done by a member of same gender.And lastly i have to stoop to your level... Idiot, show me one point which i have not countered.

I do not care about US law. I am an Indian citizen and that lady was an Indian citizen too and an Indian diplomat. So protection to her under Indian law is required by our CONSTITUTION.

Under INDIA LAW, she was RAPED and she needs to get Justice.

Deviyani is an Indian Hero, the Maid is a fugitive under INDIAN LAW and has also played a big role in damaging India's honor and reputation globally just for getting a US visa. She is guilty of Anti National activities in my eyes. In short, she gets NO sympathy.



Recognizing Fools and labeling them as one is NOT name calling. Avoiding fools is a good strategy, one which I plan to adopt. Hence forth do not reply to my post.

Yup she is a national hero, her part in adarsh scam is such an insipiration to future civil servants.Her falsfication of data celebrates such great virtues of indian officialdom.

Lastly, you started quoting me...so dont expect to have the last word and weasel out.Now sir you have my permission to not quote me any further. Wow, i love my india...salman khan hero, exploited maid villian, corrupt lying official innocent...just wow.
 
I am not an american apologist .....far from it i hate many american policies.....but does that gives me a license to be prejudged in every case that america is a party to.I am nationalist too, does that carry a moral obligation to be blindly patriotic.Again Strip search by an official female is not a RAPE, neither MEA has called it so.It is practiced in many nations, following due procedures and done by a member of same gender.And lastly i have to stoop to your level... Idiot, show me one point which i have not countered.

Every point has not been countered .... The fact that a counselor has immunity under the Vienna convention against any crimes other than which are Grave is a given...her crime was not Grave .. this is globally accepted ...


Cavity search and nude search is not standard policy and is considered Rape as per Indian laws, i dont give a shit if its legal there , this is the 100nth time and writing this in the forum but people like you choose to remain ignorant, it is only standard policy for those people who are a threat to the society , like rapists , murders drug addicts , suspected terrorists , she was neither as her only charge was a Visa Fraud ..


Fact is , you are ignoramus , the fact that the maid was not exploited by the diplomat is completely ruled ...
 
Every point has not been countered .... The fact that a counselor has immunity under the Vienna convention against any crimes other than which are Grave is a given...her crime was not Grave .. this is globally accepted ...


Cavity search and nude search is not standard policy and is considered Rape as per Indian laws, i dont give a shit if its legal there , this is the 100nth time and writing this in the forum but people like you choose to remain ignorant, it is only standard policy for those people who are a threat to the society , like rapists , murders drug addicts , suspected terrorists , she was neither as her only charge was a Visa Fraud ..


Fact is , you are ignoramus , the fact that the maid was not exploited by the diplomat is completely ruled ...

Hey Star Wars, you 100% sure Indian law enforcer do not conduct cavity search and it is rape as per Indian law.

No wonder Indians got a reputation of liar everywhere in the world.
 
WTH . what the fk .

sorry Indians i dint read earlier that what cavity search is . Now after reading this , this is utterly stupid on part of Americans to sexually harass people in name of cavity search.

i was under impression as if vehicle cavities were searched.

this is clearly disgusting.

what the hell they look for cavities of human ? :angry:

i wish some day when they dip the finger, the victim release some shit on it
Relax - She wasn't given the cavity search..she was just stripped.There is a difference between Cavity Search and Strip Search.PS: It is there to avoid smuggling of contraband. You do realize a Saudi Prince was attacked when some Suicide bomber had a bomb inside HIS a$$?
 
As I said before, a Nation famous for watching Goat **** and Camel **** can only hope to think along these lines. You must be one of those sickos who Pakistan famous! Congratulations!

So far I have avoided reading the news reports and the threads here. No wonder sub continental Men have such reputation.

People are making jingoistic hay over a Woman's emotional trauma.

Offense fully intended to Indian and Pakistani Men. You guys are immature and really need to grow up. At least stop hjacking a Woman's harrowing ordeal to satisfy your egos.

This thread is just sick. I know I made a tasteless joke, but I realised my errors.

I refuse to read threads created on this topic from now on.

To all the people who use a person's traumatic experience. Whether you are Pakistani or Indian.

a big F!CK YOU. urn in hell. I am out of here.
 
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Yup she is a national hero, her part in adarsh scam is such an insipiration to future civil servants.Her falsfication of data celebrates such great virtues of indian officialdom.
Lastly, you started quoting me...so dont expect to have the last word and weasel out.Now sir you have my permission to not quote me any further. Wow, i love my india...salman khan hero, exploited maid villian, corrupt lying official innocent...just wow.

There is nothing to 'weasel out' except from the clutches of a fool intent on parading his stupidity.
 
As I said before, a Nation famous for watching Goat **** and Camel **** can only hope to think along these lines. You must be one of those sickos who Pakistan famous! Congratulations!


:P well you Indians cry your lady was made a goat so oh yeh he enjoyed goat cavity search
 
Kudos to India for defending the virtue and dignity of their women abroad and raping them at home.
 
Relax - She wasn't given the cavity search..she was just stripped.There is a difference between Cavity Search and Strip Search.PS: It is there to avoid smuggling of contraband. You do realize a Saudi Prince was attacked when some Suicide bomber had a bomb inside HIS a$$?

:P :P :P :P :P :P :P cavity search :omghaha:

no offense this is funny

Kudos to India for defending the virtue and dignity of their women abroad and raping them at home.

Subcontinentis are NOT Good at respect women.

This case has been made national ego saving thats why. it has nothing to do with gender at all.
 

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