Making the controversy over the arrest and maltreatment of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobargarde murkier, it has now emerged that the husband and two children of the absconding maid had obtained US visas and flown to New York.
The maid Sangeeta Richard’s family left for New York just two days before Dr. Khobargade was arrested, strip searched and lodged with common criminals for discrepancy in work contract with the maid Sangeeta Richards.
Ms. Richard’s family was given U.S. visas even though New Delhi had been regularly petitioning the Americans to trace her after she went missing in June and send her back to the country. There was also a court injunction against the maid after India complained that she had absconded with her diplomatic passport.
India is demanding the diplomat be allowed to return home and all charges against her dropped.
Unlike two previous cases, this was the first time the U.S. Government had filed criminal charges.
India has refuted the contention that security of the U.S. Embassy had been compromised with the removal of concrete barricades. The police picket and the usual complement of the diplomatic security force still keeps tabs on the security around the embassy.
As for narrowed parking space around the embassy, this was a reciprocal gesture after the reserved parking slot opposite the Indian Embassy in Washington was converted into a general parking lot.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maids-family-given-us-visas-just-before-diplomats-arrest/article5474135.ece

Dec. 17, 2013

New Delhi: Devyani Khobragade, who is caught in the line of fire, is the daughter of a retired IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre Uttam Khobragade. Born and brought up in Mumbai, she went to Mount Carmel school. Later she did MBBS from Seth GS medical college and KEM hospital in Mumbai. But she did not pursue her career in medicine and opted for the Foreign Service. Her uncle Dr Ajay M Gondane is also an IFS officer of 1985 batch.
Beautiful and intelligent Devyani cleared the prestigious Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1999. She handled political division of Indian missions in Pakistan, Italy and Germany before moving to the much coveted Indian embassy in the United States of America (USA). She is currently posted as a deputy consul general of India in New York.
Devyani is married to a professor and has two daughters aged three and six years. "Devyani works for the Indian Foreign Service. She is currently a Director in the Ministry of External Affairs. Devyani has worked in the political divisions of the Indian Missions in Pakistan, Italy and Germany. She has studied Medicine and is proficient in English, Hindi, German, and her mother tongue, Marathi. Devyani originally belongs to Mumbai. Her passions are travelling, reading, yoga, music and dancing. Apart from proudly raising two beautiful girls, she also wishes to contribute towards dalit and gender equality in her country," her profile among 2012 Chevening Rolls-Royce scholars says. She was selected for the Chevening Rolls-Royce scholarship in 2012.
Devyani Khobragade - A doctor turned diplomat

"I am helping to change the way the world sees arts education. Join me in supporting Project Art," Devyani had tweeted earlier.

Devyani had tweeted a few months ago mentioning about her involvement in social service "I am helping to change the way the world sees arts education. Join me in supporting Project Art."
She claims that her passions are traveling, reading, yoga, music and dancing.
Devyani is not new to controversies. Her name was figured in Mumbai's Adarsh Housing society scam, two years ago. According to media reports Devyani, who already owned a house in Mumbai which was also allotted under the state government's 10 per cent quota got another flat at the Adarsh in 2005-06.
Even though Devyani and her father were never questioned by the CBI, her father had deposed before a two-member commission of enquiry probing the Adarsh scam. He had told the commission that it was not his or his daughter's duty to inform the government about the flats owned by them.
She had hired an Indian woman Sangeetha Richard as a babysitter and domestic assistant in late 2012. Her babysitter left for a departmental store in last June and never returned. She went to an American attorney who is specialized in immigration matters and complained about the alleged Visa fraud. The Indian embassy in the USA declared the nanny absconder and requested the US authorities to deport her.
Devyani went to the Delhi High Court asking it to restrain her former employee. The Delhi high court ordered Sangeetha Richard not institute any action against Devyani outside the Indian judiciary.

Since her nanny is now an illegal migrant in the USA, Indian laws have little control over her.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/devyani-khobragade--a-doctor-turned-diplomat/440161-3.html

SankarK as @SMedia4

Devyani case not Goldstandard for indignation.Once her maid Sangeetha absconded ,her family hounded husband child detained and NBW issued


Devyani case: 'India must tell US the other side of the story'


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December 18, 2013 14:21 IST
Indian agencies are trying to get in touch with the family of Sangeeta Richard, the nanny who filed a complaint against Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, who was arrested and later released last week in connection with an allegedly 'fradulent' visa application for her housekeeper and babysitter .
Hailing from Punjab, Sangeeta has been missing since June and sources tell rediff.com that she is still in the United States of America.
She had been declared as an absconder by India after she went missing since June. There is a hunt on to trace her and the Indian agencies have their task cut out. They have been trying to get more information from her husband and the rest of the family members, who are in India.
Sources also point out that some of Sangeeta’s family members who are in touch with her indicate that she has not returned to India. Taking into account the sensitivity of the issue, the Indian officials do not want to reveal more details.
“She is not in India and we are getting some information from her family,” an officer pointed out.
There is a good chance that some of the family members may be flown into the US in order to find her.
“Sangeeta is very important to the case and having her depose at this stage is very important,” the official said, adding, “While the nanny may have her side of the story it is very important for us to convey to the US the other side of the story as well”.
“Did she agree to work for less salary, did she start blackmailing the diplomat and why was a case filed even after an injunction by the Delhi high court?” the official asked.
The Delhi high court in an interim order had directed the nanny not to file any case against Devyani outside India. Moreover the officials would also want to know why she went absconding since June.
Image: Devyani Khobragade. Courtesy: Facebook

@timesofindia@timesofindia : India accuses US of visa fraud, transfers Devyani to permanent mission at UNhttp://t.co/hUVhUqadeV 12 minutes ago

Why was the Sangeetha family flown out?

Sangeetha Richard's passport was revoked in July :)-- Family allowed to fly with US Visa just two days before Khobaragade arrest and cavity search humiliation. Maybe, Richard is a US citizen or given political asylum by USA?

Who was the double-agent since normally such flying-out operations are to protect spies?