Devyani Khobragade berates Preet Bharara for going public on plea discussions
Devyani Khobragade called it a distressingly calculated move which could further polarize the situation
New York: Senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade has berated US attorney Preet Bharara for publicly disclosing plea discussions underway to resolve the visa fraud case against her, saying it was a “distressingly calculated" move which could further polarize the situation.
Noting that the two sides had agreed not to make public the plea discussions, her lawyer Daniel Arshack gave a strong rejoinder to Bharara who had written to magistrate judge Sarah Netburn stating that he had outlined reasonable parameters that could resolve the issue.
“We can only think that the violation of that agreement is a distressingly calculated one," Arshack said.
With the deadline for her indictment slated for 13 January, the diplomat had sought one-month extension, saying the “pressure of the impending" date is interfering with the ability of the parties to have meaningful discussions. But her plea has been opposed by the prosecution.
India has been demanding the withdrawal of the case against Khobragade and an apology from the US for the treatment meted out to the 39-year-old diplomat, including a strip search and detention with criminals after her arrest on 12 December.
India-born US prosecutor Bharara’s office is required to file charges against the diplomat within 30 days of her arrest. The US said last month it is proceeding with the prosecution of Khobragade and has no intention of withdrawing the case.
At the time of her arrest, Khobragade was deputy consul general in New York and was subsequently transferred to India’s Permanent Mission to the UN. A 1999-batch IFS officer, Khobragade was arrested on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid Sangeeta Richard. She was released on a $250,000 bond. PTI
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