Arrest warrant against Devyani

New York : An arrest warrant was issued on Saturday against Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade after her fresh indictment by US prosecutors who accused her of "illegally" underpaying and "exploiting" her domestic maid.

39-year-old Khobragade, who was arrested in New York on December 12 and has since been transferred to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, faces arrest if she visits the US where her husband and two children are staying. Following the fresh 21-page indictment, US Attorney in Manhattan India-born Preet Bharara said in a letter to US District Judge William Pauley that an "arrest warrant was also issued today" against the diplomat and that the government "will alert the court immediately upon the defendant’s arrest so that an appearance" before the judge may be scheduled. The new charges, which came two day after a US court dismissed an earlier indictment on Wednesday, accused her of visa fraud and making false statements about the visa application of her maid Sangeeta Richard.

The indictment states that the diplomat "knowingly made" multiple false representations and presented false information to US authorities in order to obtain a visa for a personal domestic worker.

Khobragade was arrested on visa fraud charges on December 6 for making false statements regarding the visa application of her maid. She was strip-searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two countries with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats among other steps.

The diplomat has refuted the charges against her. The indictment also states that "escalating efforts" were made by Khobragade and others "to silence and intimidate the victim and her family and lie to Indian authorities and courts."

Bharara has submitted as exhibits a copy of the employment contract that Khobragade entered into with Richard that states that she will be paid $9.75 per hour salary and would be required to work for 40 hours a week. Also submitted is a copy of the FIR filed in India in which Khobragade said she had agreed to pay Richard Rs 30000 per month, contrary to what she had told the US authorities. According to prosecutors, Khobragade claimed she paid the woman $4,500 a month, but actually paid her around USD 3 per hour and made her to work for more hours.

The indictment states that Khobragade knew the actual arrangement between her and Richard "violated US laws" and so she created a "fraudulent employment contract" and had the "victim execute it".