Saudi diplomat rape case: India keen on finding an amicable solution

A day after the Ministry of External Affairs sought a detailed report from the police on the issue of a Saudi diplomat accused of raping two Nepali women, sources say that the government is keen on finding a way whereby the two countries can sort out the case amicably. According to sources, the MEA does not want go for an all out diplomatic war just on the basis of an FIR.

Sources say the Saudi Ambassador will be meeting MEA officials with the diplomat's side of the story.

Under article 29 of the Vienna Convention, the diplomat enjoys complete immunity against arrest or detention. As per the rules, the receiving State is obliged to treat the diplomat with due respect and shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on his person, freedom or dignity.

The Saudi diplomat cannot be tried under Indian laws as a diplomat enjoys immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving State.

Meanwhile, protests have broken out outside Saudi embassy. Women activists are demanding justice for the victims. The diplomat working at the Saudi embassy, was booked for sexually assaulting two girls. The two women were rescued by the police from the diplomat’s home in Gurgaon.

The victims alleged that while they were employed as domestic help by the diplomat, they were sexually assaulted and kept in bondage. The wife and the daughter of the Saudi diplomat have also been booked for torturing them.

The victims alleged that they were raped by the diplomat and his friends on several occasions. The incident came to light after the victims informed an NGO which in turn reported the matter to the police.

Meanwhile, the embassy of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday termed the allegations of sexual assault against one of its diplomats as "false" and said it has protested to the External Affairs Ministry over "police intrusion" into a diplomat's house in violation of "all diplomatic conventions".

"Embassy strongly stresses that these allegations are false and have not been proven. Embassy protests the unwarranted media briefing before the investigation was complete and protests police intrusion into the diplomat's residence," the embassy had said in a statement.