The visa fraud charges against Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade have been dismissed, reports say, bringing possible closure to a months-long dispute between the U.S. and India over the diplomat's fate.
One of the main issues behind Khobragade's arrest was whether or not she has diplomatic immunity, thus protecting her from prosecution. The 39-year-old's official title is Deputy Consul General. Because of this, the U.S. claimed that Khobragade was entitled to only consular immunity, which protects her from prosecution only in cases related to her job.
Khobragade, who was arrested last December for allegedly lying on a visa application about her housekeeper's salary, said she was "cloaked in diplomatic immunity," CNN reported.
A judge agreed with the diplomat, and dismissed the federal indictment against her on Monday.
Khobragade was "appointed a Counselor to the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, a position that cloaked her with full diplomatic immunity," according to court documents obtained by CNN.
Khobradage was appointed to that position on Jan. 8, one day before her indictment.
"Even if Khobragade had no immunity at the time of her arrest and has none now, her acquisition of immunity during the pendency of proceedings mandates dismissal," wrote U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin, CNN reported.
The diplomat released a statement saying she was happy justice was on her side.
"We are heartened that the court agreed with our legal analysis and rejected the prosecution's arguments by dismissing the case," her lawyer, Daniel Arshack, told CNN.
Khobragade was accused of paying her housekeeper only $3.31 per hour after writing on the housekeeper's visa application she would pay her $9.75 an hour. Khobragade, a known supporter of women's rights, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
India repeatedly called for the case to be dismissed. The Indian government also imposed sanctions against U.S. lawmakers in India after learning Khobragade had been strip searched.
Though the dismissal may ease things between the U.S. and India, the U.S. may still bring more charges in the future.
"There is currently no bar to a new indictment against her for her alleged criminal conduct, and we intend to proceed accordingly," James Margolin, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, told CNN.
Khobragade is currently in India and is now working at the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Delhi.
