Update on Khobragade case: US court dismissed visa fraud charges against Indian diplomat Ms. Devyani Khobragade

March 15, 2014

The US Court ruled that the Indian diplomat Ms. Devyani Khobragade had full diplomatic immunity at the time of indictment on visa fraud and underpaying her maid.

As per the judgment, Ms. Khobragade who served as Consular officer in the US from October 2012 to January 2014 was at a position of consular immunity as per the Vienna Convention.
The Court had dropped all charges against her claiming that the day when the charge was returned to her, she definitely had diplomatic immunity.
This order was passed by US District Judge Ms. Shira Scheindlin supporting her diplomatic immunity in a 14-page order.

Ms. Khobragade has won dismissal of the indictment against her for visa fraud, with a U.S. judge ruling she had full diplomatic immunity. Though, prosecutors are not barred from bringing new charges in future.
Note: Ms. Devyani was employed as the Deputy Consul General for Political, Economic, Commercial and Women’s Affairs at the Consulate General of India in New York, where she was arrested for an alleged case of visa fraud and making false statements in connection with the visa application for an Indian national employee who was domestic helper in her home. Later on, she released on a $250000 bond after she pleaded not guilty in a court.

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