Enter Ajit Doval: NSA takes up case of Saudi diplomat accused of rape

With the row over the allegations of rape against a diplomat from Saudi Arabia showing no signs of ending, the imbroglio is the latest assignment on National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s hands. The Times of India has reported that Doval has decided to take up the issue after the government felt the need to resolve the issue quickly in the interests of the bilateral relations between the two countries. [caption id=“attachment_2432632” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  FIle photo. Image courtesy: AFP[/caption] The TOI report also says that the case, which is currently being probed by the Gurgaon police, may be transferred to the Delhi police, making a resolution easier to arrive at. The Saudi Arabian ambassador had protested the police’s ‘intrusion’ into the diplomat’s house, which it termed as being against diplomatic conventions. Last week, the Gurgaon police filed an FIR alleging that two women from Nepal were lured to India with a false promise of jobs, and then sold to the diplomat, as reported by The Hindu. According to a report in The Indian Express, the women were rescued in a raid which was conducted after the police received a letter from the Nepal embassy. The Telegraph reported that Saudi Arabia has sent a complaint to the ministry of external affairs, while pointing out that the country is India’s largest source of oil. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia later this year, a visit which assumes significance as the country is India’s fourth largest trading partner. It also assumes cultural significance in religious terms for the Indian Muslim community, and also provides monetary support to cultural and educational institutions, as pointed out by Sanjay Singh in a _Firstpost_ article . Saudi Arabia has accused India of having violated the Vienna Convention on Public Relations, which states, “The receiving State shall treat consular officers with due respect and shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on their person, freedom or dignity."