Diplomat loses extension plea

Even as uncertainty gripped the fate of Ms. Khobragade’s reassignment to the UN, her request to the Southern District Court of New York to postpone the preliminary hearing date of her case by a month from the scheduled January 13 was denied by Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.

The setback came after the prosecuting U.S. Attorney, Indian-American Preet Bharara, said his office would not support the request. Despite Ms. Khobragade’s defence team hinting at increasing “polarisation” in the case, State Department spokesman Jen Psaki said she had no updates on the status of the Indian diplomat’s G-visa, but “did not believe [India’s restrictions on U.S. diplomats] fall into the category [of reciprocity].”