Indian diplomat's UN application review still on: US

WASHINGTON: The US is still reviewing the application for the transfer of senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade to UN and issue the necessary documents to her for full diplomatic immunity, a top American official said here.

"It is under review. We cannot predict when that review will be complete," said a State Department spokesperson in response to a question on the status of the UN request to grant full diplomatic status to 39-year-old Khobragade.

The State Department had received her application from the United Nations in New York on December 20. Normally, the State Department takes a decision on this very quickly, but this time the US is taking an unusually long time.

"We cannot compare this to previous requests as each request is evaluated on its own merits," the spokesperson said yesterday.

Khobragade was arrested on December 12 on charges of visa fraud and misrepresentation. At the time of her arrest, she was Deputy Consul General at the Indian Consulate in New York.

The US says, in this capacity, she did not had full diplomatic immunity.

Days after her arrest, the Indian government transferred Khobragade to the permanent mission of India to the United Nations (UN), with the view that this would give her the necessary diplomatic immunity.

India has strongly objected to her arrest, and in protest has withdrawn many of the diplomatic privileges granted to the American diplomats in India.

As one enters the New Year, the Indian diplomat continues to remain in the US without diplomatic immunity. She is currently on bail bond of US $ 250,000 and her passport is in possession of the court.