Did not violate passports and citizenship laws: Khobragade to HC

New Delhi Devyani Khobragade an IFS officer and former Deputy ConsulGeneral of India in New York today denied in the Delhi High Court the central governments claim that sheviolated the passport and citizenship laws by obtaining American and Indian passports for her two daughtersShe submitted before Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw that unlike the External Affairs Ministrys contention that her conduct raised questions about her trustworthiness and integrity in her 16 years ofservice she was routinely adjudicated as outstanding or a very good officer with the highest degree of credibility and integrityIn her response to the ministrys contention that she violated Indian Passports Act and Citizenship Act Khobragade has said it is respectfully stated that mother of the petitioners Khobragadesdaughters never applied nor allowed her spouse or dependants to apply for a foreign nationality or an immigrant visa nor is such a thing alleged by the respondents CentreHence by the respondents own admission there is no violation of Rules of Indian Foreign Service conduct and discipline Rules 1961 she saidKhobragade has also said in her rejoinder affidavit that she has served the country for 16 years with outstanding service recordsThe confidential notes written by the persons who have had the occasion to observe the conduct of the officer closely routinely adjudicated the officer as outstanding or a very good officer withthe highest degree of credibility and integrity the rejoinder addedShe has also said that her daughters were entitled to haveIndian diplomatic passportsIn the light of the 16 years of outstanding service to the country the irrelevant and defaming statements by the respondents at several places in their response casting aspersions on the integrityof the officer are not only unfortunate but also reflect a bias establishing that the action of issuing recordable warning as well as revocation of the passport was on extraneous considerations andas a result of bias and anger as is clear for all to see through the defaming statements of the respondentsHence this court is requested to quash all the actions which result from bias and vengeance she has saidThe government in its affidavit had said that Khobragade had obtained US and Indian passports for her two daughters in violation of law and without informing the External Affairs Ministry MEAraising serious questions about her trustworthiness and integrityMEA had also said Khobragade cannot and should not escape from consequences of her illegal actsThe court was hearing Khobragades daughters pleas challenging revocation of their Indian passportsKhobragade on behalf of her daughters has contended that the government revoked the passports without issuing them show cause notice or hearing themThe court had in May this year stayed the December 30 2014 order by which the government had revoked the passportsMEA had defended its decision to revoke the passports saying Khobragade obtained Indian diplomatic passports for her daughters by suppressing material facts which establishes that shewilfully and blatantly violated the Indian Passport ActThe government had also told the HC that Khobragade as an IFS officer having 16 years experience was expected to uphold Indian Passport Act but has herself wilfully and knowingly violated theAct for her own selfish interests which shows her utter and scant disregard for rules and regulations of Government of IndiaKhobragades arrest when she was Indias Deputy ConsulGeneral in New York on December 12 2013 on visa fraud charges had triggered a huge diplomatic row between India and the USShe was arrested in the US on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid and was later released on a USD 250000 bondThe issue had escalated into a fullblown diplomatic row between the US and India which had retaliated by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats among other steps