Police waiting for MEA directions in Saudi diplomat case
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Since Friday, the police have been maintaining silence in the matter, which has been hogging the media limelight since the police 'rescued' the two Nepalese women from a Gurgaon house where the senior Saudi diplomat, said to be the First Secretary, lived. Reuters file photo
Gurgaon police are waiting for directions from the ministry of external affairs on how to proceed in the controversial matter regarding the rape allegations against a Saudi Arabian diplomat by two Nepalese women - five days after police registered a case in the matter.
Since Friday, the police have been maintaining silence in the matter, which has been hogging the media limelight since the police "rescued" the two Nepalese women from a Gurgaon house where the senior Saudi diplomat, said to be the First Secretary, lived.
In view of the seriousness of the case, Gurgaon Police Commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk cancelled his leave and attended office on Friday.
Virk, who is handling the case and had gone on 'special' leave for a week on Thursday, attended office on Friday, cancelling his leave which was till September 13.
The case has become a highly sensitive one, with the Indian government treading carefully as it concerns diplomatic relations with two friendly countries - Saudi Arabia and Nepal.
The Nepalese envoy in India has approached the MEA requesting details of the case. The Saudi Arabian embassy has termed the rape charges as "not proven" and also deplored the "unwarranted media briefing before investigations are complete". The embassy has also protested against the police barging into the diplomat's house "against all diplomatic convention".
The Gurgaon police have said they will proceed in the case only after getting directions from the MEA and keeping in mind the provisions of the Vienna Convention, that provides diplomatic immunity to a serving diplomat and his immediate family.
The police are also wondering how to proceed in the matter regarding the rape allegations levelled by the two women against some friends of the diplomat who visited his Gurgaon upscale apartment. Police are planning to scan the CCTV footage of the apartment to find out the visitors to the diplomat's house.
The Gurgaon police have written to the MEA asking for permission to speak to the diplomat and his wife, who have since moved out of Gurgaon to a residence in Delhi under the Saudi embassy.
Once they get a clearance, they may speak to the diplomat and his wife to identify people who visited the flat on the fifth floor of Ambiance Island Caitriona here.
The Gurgaon police have been sending daily reports or briefing to the MEA but officials in the ministry are silent.
Two medical reports of the two women, one in her 20s, and the other said to be in her late 40s, have confirmed rape. The reports have been sent to the MEA.
On Thursday, the Congress party demanded that the government take up the issue with the Saudi Arabian government so that the diplomat is removed from his post and action taken as per law.
Since Friday, the police have been maintaining silence in the matter, which has been hogging the media limelight since the police "rescued" the two Nepalese women from a Gurgaon house where the senior Saudi diplomat, said to be the First Secretary, lived.
In view of the seriousness of the case, Gurgaon Police Commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk cancelled his leave and attended office on Friday.
Virk, who is handling the case and had gone on 'special' leave for a week on Thursday, attended office on Friday, cancelling his leave which was till September 13.
The case has become a highly sensitive one, with the Indian government treading carefully as it concerns diplomatic relations with two friendly countries - Saudi Arabia and Nepal.
The Nepalese envoy in India has approached the MEA requesting details of the case. The Saudi Arabian embassy has termed the rape charges as "not proven" and also deplored the "unwarranted media briefing before investigations are complete". The embassy has also protested against the police barging into the diplomat's house "against all diplomatic convention".
The Gurgaon police have said they will proceed in the case only after getting directions from the MEA and keeping in mind the provisions of the Vienna Convention, that provides diplomatic immunity to a serving diplomat and his immediate family.
The police are also wondering how to proceed in the matter regarding the rape allegations levelled by the two women against some friends of the diplomat who visited his Gurgaon upscale apartment. Police are planning to scan the CCTV footage of the apartment to find out the visitors to the diplomat's house.
The Gurgaon police have written to the MEA asking for permission to speak to the diplomat and his wife, who have since moved out of Gurgaon to a residence in Delhi under the Saudi embassy.
Once they get a clearance, they may speak to the diplomat and his wife to identify people who visited the flat on the fifth floor of Ambiance Island Caitriona here.
The Gurgaon police have been sending daily reports or briefing to the MEA but officials in the ministry are silent.
Two medical reports of the two women, one in her 20s, and the other said to be in her late 40s, have confirmed rape. The reports have been sent to the MEA.
On Thursday, the Congress party demanded that the government take up the issue with the Saudi Arabian government so that the diplomat is removed from his post and action taken as per law.