India summons US envoy Nancy Powell over arrest of diplomat in New York
New Delhi – India has summoned US ambassador Nancy Powell over the arrest of one of its diplomats in New York.
Devyani Khobragade, a mid-level Indian diplomat, was served the arrest warrant when she was dropping her daughters to school on Thursday morning. She was later released by a Manhattan court on a $ 250,000 bond on Thursday evening.
Earlier, the Indian government reacted strongly to the treatment meted out to the diplomat.
India is shocked and appalled by what the US has done to its diplomat in New York, the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.
Calling the US action unacceptable, the MEA statement said India will forcefully take up the issue with the US.
Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara’s office portrayed the Indian diplomat as having fraudulently brought a domestic help from India by promising mandatory US wages ($ 9.75 per hour) and underpaying her ($ 3.11 per hour).
