Indian Diplomat's Charges Dropped

Devyani Khobragade, the Indian diplomat whose arrest and strip search by federal agents in New York City set off a diplomatic firestorm, had her case dismissed on Monday. She was accused of lying on a visa application about how much her housekeeper was paid, and was indicted on January 9 by a federal grand jury. However, Khobragade claimed she was "cloaked in diplomatic immunity” at the time of her arrest. Apparently the court concurred, explaining that she was appointed to her position at the UN the day before her arrest, giving her diplomatic immunity. "Even if Khobragade had no immunity at the time of her arrest and has none now, her acquisition of immunity during the pendency of proceedings mandates dismissal," U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin wrote.