Punish diplomat for wife-beating: Tirath

NEW DELHI - Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath Tuesday said that strong action should be taken against officials like Anil Verma, an Indian diplomat in London accused of assaulting his wife.

“There should be strong action taken against such officials and their increments stopped,” Tirath said on the sidelines of a function here.

Verma, the third senior-most Indian diplomat and minister (economic) at the Indian High Commission in Britain, had reportedly sought immunity from prosecution after being questioned by British police over claims that he assaulted his wife in December last year.

Sources said that Verma, a 1986 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of West Bengal cadre, is being recalled to Delhi. The ministry will decide further action after it probes the allegations of assault against the diplomat.

Verma’ s wife accused him of beating her and went into a hiding with her five-year-old child, fearing for her safety. After moving out of Verma’s official residence in London, she moved an application seeking permission to stay back in Britain on humanitarian grounds.