Recalled diplomat to be probed as per Indian law, UK told (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI - With Britain pressing for the waiving of diplomatic immunity for Anil Verma, who faces allegations of wife-beating, the Indian government Tuesday condemned domestic violence but made it clear that the charges will be probed and action will be taken under Indian law.

“Once the officer is back, the matter will be thoroughly investigated and action will be taken consequent upon the inquiry,” Vishnu Prakash, spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs (MEA), told reporters here.

“Action will be taken according to the law of the land. The laws of the land would take care of any act that needs to be taken care of consequent to the inquiry,” he said.

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 the British police over claims that he assaulted his wife in December last year.

Verma’s wife accused him of beating her and went into hiding with their 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.

Stressing that India’s external affairs ministry has taken “a serious view” of the matter, Prakash said the issue “has been looked into with all the seriousness it deserves”.

“The officer has been transferred. The family would be returning soon,” he said.

Prakash stressed that although domestic violence was unacceptable, the Indian high commission had encouraged both sides to “sort out marital issues, which is the best way of doing it”.

“There is no question of condoning domestic violence. It is unacceptable,” he said when asked about the role of Deputy High Commissioner Rajesh Prasad, who according to a British newspaper, had threatened Verma’s wife, Paromita, with deportation to India.

The spokesperson, however, made it clear that a probe into allegations against Verma will be done only under Indian law.

“We have a transparent judicial system. The matter will be dealt with under the laws of the land,” he said.

Informed sources said an internal report of the Indian High Commission from London sent to the external affairs ministry finds Verma guilty of domestic violence.

Last week, Britain asked India to waive Verma’s diplomatic immunity, and said it “does not tolerate envoys working in the UK breaking the law”.

“We can confirm that we have formally requested the waiver of diplomatic immunity for a diplomat posted at the Indian high commission in London,” a British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spokesperson said in London over the weekend.

“The Foreign Office does not tolerate diplomats working in the UK breaking the law,” the British spokesperson said in a strongly-worded statement.

British Foreign Office representatives met with staff of the Indian high commission in London to discuss the matter and to emphasise the serious nature of the allegations, the FCO said.