Home minister has promised justice for Devyani: Father

Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade's father was assured by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Tuesday that justice would be delivered and the government is trying to drop the charges levelled against her in the US.

"The home minister has assured the government will try to get charges dropped, as she was discharging a government duty and there would be no harm done to her," said Uttam Khobragade, Devyani's father.

Shinde also confirmed: "I met Devyani's father and have promised him that justice will be delivered."

Earlier Tuesday, Uttam Khobragade said his daughter is being made "a scapegoat" and even asked United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi to intervene to get his daughter back to India.

"It is the government who sent my daughter. It is a political issue between these two countries and my daughter is being made a scapegoat," he said here.

Devyani was strip searched, hand-cuffed, confined to a cell with drug addicts, and also subjected to DNA swabbing.

"Even if she is arrested, she should have been treated with dignity. The UPA chairperson should intervene and get my daughter back in the country," added Uttam Khobragade.

Devyani, one of India's senior diplomats in New York, was charged last week with visa fraud and making false statements. She was accused by Manhattan's Indian American US Attorney Preet Bharara of visa fraud and exploiting her babysitter and housekeeper.

Earlier Tuesday, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Shinde declined to meet a US Congressional delegation to highlight India's strong disapproval of Devyani's arrest and handcuffing.