(Image source from: Obama hand in Devyani Khobragade's immunity?})

On Thursday Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was finally granted G-1 visa according full diplomatic immunity, in keeping with her United Nation accreditation. Earlier on Wednesday the United States Secretary of State John Kerry had a confidential meeting with President Barack Obama over the escalating tension between India and the US relating to the Devyani Khobragade case.

Soon after the Obana-Kerry meeting, US State Department acted fast to grant the G-1 visa to Khobragade, extending full diplomatic immunity. The State Department also got into swift action as they were aware of the intension of Manhattan Attorney Preet Bharara to move the first hearing of the visa fraud case against Khobragade. Besides, Kerry and Co. also realised that a solution to the diplomatic tangle had to be reached as it was going out of hand.

The Indian diplomat was granted diplomatic immunity on Thursday. At the same time attorney Preet Bharara filed the indictment against Khobragade charging her of visa fraud and making false statements at a New York court while informing the court that she now enjoys protection from immunity. Besides Khobragade was asked to leave US, after India refused to waive her immunity from prosecution.

It proved to be a win-win situation for both the countries as India got full immunity for Khobragade, while the US, which had earlier stated that charges would remain, went forward and indicted the Indian diplomat. US knowing well that India will not abandon its own diplomat, asked New Delhi to waive the immunity so that she could be prosecuted. As expected India refused and Devyani Khobragade was asked to depart from the US.

(Picture Source: hdwallpaperszon.com)

(AW: Pratima Tigga)