timesofindia | In a major setback to Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade,
a federal judge has rejected her plea to extend the January 13 deadline
for a preliminary hearing on the visa fraud issue, the date by when she
has to be charged.
Shortly after the issuance of the order in
which the judge said "good cause" has not been demonstrated in the plea,
Khobragade's laywer Daniel Arshack said he is "considering" other
options.
The three-page order, by which Khobragade will have to
appear in court, means the indictment against her will now have to
filed before or on January 13. It was issued late yesterday.
"We are considering our options," Khobragade's lawyer Daniel Arshack
told PTI when asked about the request for extending the indictment
deadline being denied by the judge. He did not elaborate.
However, sources said one of the options Khobragade, 39, now has is to
file another motion in court seeking extension of the indictment
deadline and preliminary hearing.
In her order, magistrate judge Sarah Netburn of the US district court for the southern district of New York
said adjournment of the date will not grant her the "relief she seeks"
regarding plea negotiations between her and the government to resolve
the visa fraud case.
