Devyani Khobragade's arrest: India hits back at US attorney Preet Bharara

[FarCenter]

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday hit back at US Attorney Preet Bharara, who had justified Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade's arrest, accusing him of interfering with the Indian legal system and asserting that the arrest was not in keeping with the Vienna Convention on diplomatic immunity.

Criticizing the US prosecutor for making statement for "post facto rationalization" for an action that should never have taken place in the first instance, external affairs ministry Spokesperson said there were no courtesies extended to Khobragade, who is the only "victim" in this case.

He said despite acknowledging that legal process were in place in India, the statement talks why it was necessary to evacuate the family of absconding maid Sangeeta Richard, thereby, making "implicit comment" about the Indian legal system, its enforcement authorities, and the responsibility that legal officials of a foreign government seem to "arrogate upon" themselves with regard to nationals of another country.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Devyani-Khobragades-arrest-India-hits-back-at-US-attorney-Preet-Bharara/articleshow/27658479.cms

The furor in India regarding US high-handedness doesn't appear to be dying down.

[TwilightGardener]

1. There should be furor in America that our diplomats who have NOT been accused of crimes

in India are being harassed and exposed to security risks. I think we should bring our people home. I can't imagine the US reacting in such an overblown, petty way if a US diplomat in India or any country was arrested, searched, and released unharmed the same day.

[Egalitarian Thug]

2. Good, I hope they push this really hard. A much less cozy relationship with India will

help America's Main Street economy.

[ProSense]

3. ACLU: Should Diplomats Always Get Immunity?

ACLU: Should Diplomats Always Get Immunity?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024198415

[jberryhill]

4. One of the cool things about this country...

The US Attorney in this case was born in Firozpur, India.

[FarCenter]

6. The US Attorney is half Sikh and half Hindu

The diplomat is a Hindu dalit.

[Lurks Often]

5. I'm curious who at the State Department approved of the arrest and the way it was handled

since according to the link below it was agents of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service that arrested her.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/more-fallout-from-diplomats-strip-search-arrest/2013/12/18/51c0c11c-67eb-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html

Yes foreign diplomats need to follow US law while they are in this country and I am not condoning what Khobragade did, if she in fact did it, but this was handled remarkably poorly. Even if Khobragade is guilty, there was no reason I can see to have handled this in the manner it was done. There is nothing to indicate that Khobragade, a diplomat from another country, was a danger to anyone, so why the need to publically arrest her?