Nepalese women’s rape: MEA asks Saudi Arabia to cooperate

mangaloretoday.com

New Delhi,Sep 10: India on Thursday asked Saudi Arabia to cooperate in the investigation against its Delhi-based diplomat, who allegedly raped and tortured two Nepalese women for months at his house in Gurgaon.

Saudi ambassador Saud Mohammed Alsati was called by the external affairs ministry and told that police is seeking cooperation in the case, a day after the ministry received a report about it.

 

"MEA chief of protocol called in Saudi ambassador today and conveyed request of Haryana police for cooperation of embassy in the case of two Nepali citizens," said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson in the ministry.

Gurgaon Police had sent a "detailed" report to the ministry on their investigation into the case on Wednesday night. The report was sent hours after a second medical examination of the two women confirmed rape and sodomy, said Rajesh Chechi, ACP (crime) of Gurgaon Police.

The Saudi embassy had issued a statement on Wednesday terming the allegations "false" and said it has protested the police "intrusion" into a diplomat’s house against "all diplomatic conventions". The Saudi ambassador along with some embassy officials had also met senior MEA officials on Wednesday to register their protest.

A group of women rights activists held a protest outside the Saudi embassy demanding action against the diplomat.

Activists of All-India Democratic Women’s Association shouted slogans against the diplomat and demanded justice for the two women. They also demanded that no diplomatic immunity should be given to the diplomat.

The two women, who were allegedly confined and raped by the diplomat and his "guests", were rescued by Gurgaon Police on Monday.