NEW DELHI: The Indian government asked the United States Friday to withdraw a New Delhi embassy diplomat in a fresh escalation of a bitter diplomatic row just as it appeared to be cooling down, an official said.
The two countries have been at loggerheads over Indian consulate worker Devyani Khobragade, who was arrested and charged in New York for visa fraud and making false statements relating to the employment of her domestic servant.
She flew home on Friday after a deal in which she was granted full diplomatic immunity — something not offered to consular officials — which appeared to have resolved the feud.
But an Indian foreign ministry official said that New Delhi had requested that Washington withdraw a diplomat of a “similar rank” to Khobragade who had been involved in the case.
“It is understood that this person was involved... in the process,” he said without elaborating.
India reacted with outrage after 39-year-old Khobragade was arrested in front of her children's school and then allegedly subjected to a cavity search while in custody.
India has removed extra security barriers at the US embassy in New Delhi, demanded contract details for domestic staff employed by American diplomats and even stopped the mission importing duty-free alcohol.
On Wednesday, it ordered an embassy leisure centre popular with American expatriates in the capital to stop admitting non-diplomatic members, while scheduled visits by US officials to India have been cancelled.
