Devyani row: US justifies strip search as 'standard procedure'

New York: The US Marshals Service (USMS) has justified the “search procedure” of Devyani Khobragade, India’s deputy consul general in New York, saying it found that her detention was in accordance with their directives and protocols. The USMS also confirmed that the ranking Indian diplomat was subject to the “same search procedures” as other “arrestees held within the general prisoner population”. [caption id=“attachment_1293971” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Devyani Khobdagade. PTI.[/caption] The Marshals said in a statement that they had nothing to do with the Dec 12 arrest of Khobragade and they were merely following “standard arrestee procedures”. The statement said Khobragade was arrested by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security and transferred to the USMS pending her initial appearance before a Federal Magistrate Judge. She was released on bond the same day, it said. “While in USMS custody, standard arrestee intake procedures were followed.” Khobragade was charged last week with visa fraud and making false statements. Her arrested and the treatment meted out to her has triggered a storm in India, straining Indo-US relations. IANS