Devyani Khobragade was, is and will remain an Indian diplomat: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin on Tuesday reiterated that Devyani Khobragade was, is and will remain an Indian diplomat and added that the MEA is in conversation with the designated channel about this case.

"Devyani Khobragade was, is and will remain an Indian diplomat," said Akbaruddin.

"In a pluralist economy there are various channels operating simultaneously and there are some who have different opinions on different matters. It is for them to express their view. We will go by what the state department is communicating," he said in response to the reports that the U.S. will not be dropping case against Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade.

"The Ministry of External Affairs responds through designated channels. The designated channels convey that the process is on. We are waiting for them and we are in conversation with them at a variety of levels," he added.

Earlier today, US sources said that the visa fraud case against Khobragade will not be dropped.

The world's two largest democracies have been at loggerheads for the past two weeks, amid mounting outrage in India over the arrest of Khobragade, who was strip-searched and handcuffed while in custody.

Khobragade was arrested on December 12 and released on USD 250,000 bail after giving up her passport and pleading not guilty to charges of visa fraud and making false statements about how much she paid her housekeeper, also an Indian.

At the time of her arrest Khobragade was serving as deputy consul general in New York, a role which affords less diplomatic protection from U.S. law.

She faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted on both counts.