NEW YORK: The Indian origin US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, tweeted on Saturday that he was fired after refusing to resign as requested by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Bharara, became controversial in 2013 after he ordered arrest of an Indian Deputy Consul charged her in New York with visa fraud related to her treatment of her housekeeper.

“I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired,” Bharara wrote on his verified Twitter account. “Being the US Attorney in Southern District of New York will forever be the greatest honour of my professional life.”

Bharara was informed Dana Boente, the acting deputy attorney general, fired him shortly after it became widely known that he did not intend to step down in response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ request that leftover appointees of former President Barack Obama quit.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2017