The diplomatic spat between the US and India over the arrest of an Indian diplomat accused of falsifying documents and severely underpaying her Indian housekeeper took a new turn on Monday. India’s deputy consul general, Devyani Khobragade, who is at the center of the controversy, is now a registered member of India’s United Nations delegation, the Associated Press reports. “The Indian government reportedly sought to transfer Khobragade to the U.N. Mission because diplomats there have greater immunity,” according to the AP.
In her pervious role, Khobragade enjoyed protection from prosecution for what she did in her official capacity, but that protection did not extend to potential crimes committed outside of her official role. Khobragade was arrested and strip-searched earlier this month for paying her nanny $3.31 an hour, far below the $9.75 federal requirement, and charged with one count of visa fraud and one of making a false statement. The nature of Khobragade’s arrest outraged government officials in India and set of a round of diplomatic reprisals.
