Washington: The US has said that Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, who returned to New Delhi, no longer enjoys immunity and an arrest warrant might be issued against her.
"Prior to her (Khobragade) departure, it was conveyed to her and to the government of India that she is not permitted to return to the United States except to submit to the jurisdiction of the court.
"Her name would be placed in visa and immigration lookout systems to prevent the routine issuance of any future visa and upon her departure a warrant may be issued for her arrest," state department spokesperson Jen Psaki said.
Khobragade's departure from the US, she said, does not change the charges against the 39-year-old diplomat.
On Thursday, Khobragade was indicted in a New York court on two counts of visa fraud and misrepresentation of facts.
"The charges remain in place. There are processes that are standard processes in each of these cases, which we were abiding by throughout this process," the state department spokesperson insisted.
Arrested on December 12, Khobragade was strip-searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two sides with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats among other steps.
