Khobragade was granted full diplomatic immunity on January 8 under the India-U.S.Headquarters agreement.On January 9, the U.S. request for waiver of diplomatic immunity to Khobragade was refused by India.

A 1999-batch IFS officer, Khobragade, was arrested on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid. She was released on a $250,000 bond.

The diplomat was strip searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two sides with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of U.S. diplomats.

Devyani heads to IndiaKhobragade’s lawyer Daniel Arshack said since she has been accorded diplomatic immunity, she can travel outside the country and was returning to India.

“As a result of her diplomatic status having been recognised, the Federal court today recognised Khobragade’s right to travel and she is pleased to be returning to her country. Her head is held high. She knows she has done no wrong and she looks forward to assuring that the truth is known,” Arshack told PTI.

He said Khobragade denies the “baseless” charges brought by the federal prosecutor Bharara’s office and “looks forward to providing the proof that over and over the investigators and prosecutors in this case have been sloppy and wrong.”

He said Khobragade did not make any false statements and she paid her domestic worker what she was entitled to be paid.
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