A US court has dismissed visa fraud charges against Indian
diplomatDevyani Khobragade, whose arrest and strip-search in New York sparked a
bitter diplomatic row.
Ms Khobragade, who was India's deputy consul-general in New
York, was arrested on December 12 outside her children's school.
She was indicted in January for visa fraud and making false
statements on her Indian housekeeper Sangeeta Richard's visa application.
US judge Shira Scheindlin dismissed the case Wednesday on
grounds that Ms Khobragade was granted full diplomatic immunity on January 8,
when she was named a counselor to India's mission to the UN.
"Even if Khobragade had no immunity at the time of her
arrest and has none now, her acquisition of immunity during the pendency of
proceedings mandates dismissal," the judge wrote.
The ruling leaves open the possibility of new indictment
against the diplomat, say federal prosecutors.
Ms Khobragade's lawyer Daniel Arshack said his client was
pleased that law had prevailed.
"Technically, the prosecution remains free to re-indict Dr.
Khobragade. However, the decision to do so would be viewed as an aggressive and
unnecessary act," he added.
The 39-year-old diplomat, who was forced to fly out of the
US in January, leaving her two young children, is now working for the foreign
affairs ministry in Delhi.
Her arrest and humiliation provoked an outcry in India,
setting off reprisals against US diplomats and the removal of some security
barriers near the US embassy there.
"The way she was treated was wrong. We stand
vindicated," said the diplomat's father Uttam Khobragade. "Sangeetha
Richards made such false statements to remain in the US. They tried to frame
Devyani."
Mr Khobragade dismissed questions raised over two passports
held by Devyani's children, which is not permissible. Brushing it off as a mere
technicality, he said, "Their Indian passport has been submitted to the
consulate. Today they have only one passport. It was necessary for them to have
a US passport as they are natural born US citizens."
