Congress seeks action against Saudi diplomat

The Congress on Thursday demanded that the government take up the allegations of rape against a Saudi diplomat with the Saudi Arabian government so that he is removed from his post and action taken as per law.

Answering a query from media persons here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the party condemns the "incident of rape" with two Nepalese women.

"The Congress urges the external affairs ministry and the prime minister that this entire issue be taken up by the Indian government at the level of ambassador with the Saudi Arabian government so that action is taken on the crime as per law after removing the diplomat," he said.

India on Thursday called in the Saudi ambassador to seek his cooperation in the police investigation being carried out into allegations of rape levelled against the senior Saudi diplomat by two Nepalese women.

Informed sources said the government has been told that the Saudi embassy had assured that it will fully cooperate in the investigations.

The Saudi embassy has denied the rape charges as "not proven", deplored the "unwarranted media briefing before investigations are complete" and also protested against police barging into the diplomat's house in Gurgaon "against all diplomatic convention".

According to a police complaint filed on Tuesday, two Nepalese women alleged that they were raped by the Saudi diplomat and also by his friends and guests. They also alleged that his wife and daughter harassed them and beat them.

Gurgaon police, in its latest report sent to the external affairs ministry on Thursday, has presented all the facts that have come forth in the investigation so far.