U.S. court sets Bharara Jan.31 deadline to respond to Khobragade's plea

A New York judge has set Manhattan District Attorney Preet Bharara a Janauary 31 deadline to respond to a plea forwarded by Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade with regard to an alleged visa fraud case.

Bharara has reportedly been asked to file his opposition to the motion submitted by Khobragade seeking dismissal of the indictment against her on visa fraud charges.

Khobragade's lawyer Daniel Arshack had on January 14, filed a 13-page motion in U.S. District Court on 39-year-old diplomat's behalf seeking dismissal of the indictment, termination of conditions of her bail and of any "open" arrest warrants or requests for her extradition over the charges.

India-born Bharara wrote to U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin on Friday seeking January 31 as the deadline to file the government's opposition brief and permission that the response be of up to 25 pages in length.

Arshack said that the prosecution should be given only 14 days time till January 28 to file its reponse to his motion.

Arguing that "a prompt resolution" of the case is "essential," Arshack said he did not agree with the prosecution's demand for the January 31 deadline to file their response.

Khobragade, the former deputy Consul General at the Indian Consulate in New York, is seeking dismissal of the charges of visa fraud and making false statements, arguing that she was "cloaked" in diplomatic immunity and cannot face criminal prosecution in the United States.