M A I N   N E W S

Special to the tribune
Indian diplomat in UK quizzed for wife-bashing
‘Uses’ diplomatic immunity to avoid further probe, cops miffed
Shyam Bhatia in London

January 9
A senior Indian diplomat questioned by the London police for allegedly beating up his wife has avoided further interrogation by claiming diplomatic immunity.

The police was called to the Golders Green home of Anil Verma, the third highest-ranking Indian diplomat in the UK, after his English neighbours heard the blood curdling screams of a woman in torment.

Details have only just emerged of how a police unit was dispatched to Verma’s home at 9.30 am last December 11 when he was repeatedly questioned about the screams. The police was unable to take follow up action because of Verma’s diplomatic status.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “At 9.30 am on December 11, following reports of an assault at an address at Corringham Road, NW 11, a man in his 40s was spoken to officers. No arrests were made.”

Scandals of this kind are extremely rare because Indian diplomats throughout the world are usually held up as pillars of society and models of good behaviour.

In London, the only similar example of diplomatic misconduct took place more than 20 years ago when another senior Indian diplomat was beaten up by an enraged valet who accused him of interfering with his wife.

The London police is believed to be annoyed that Verma, who has the rank of Minister in charge of economic and trade issues, misused his diplomatic immunity to avoid prosecution for physical assault. It is understood that the police asked the British Foreign Office to intervene, but the UK is a signatory to the 1961 Vienna Convention under which all accredited diplomats, their wives and children are immune from prosecution in their host country.

Since 2005 some 78 other foreign diplomats have likewise avoided prosecution for all manner of offences, including sexual abuse, shop lifting and drink driving.

Patrick Mercer, an MP from the ruling Conservative Party, commented: “Violent crime is violent crime and British society has enough of it already. I believe the Foreign Office should be reviewing the issue of diplomatic immunity more vigorously.”

Asked to comment about what had happened in the Verma case, a spokeswoman for the Indian High Commission in London told The Tribune: “It has been brought to the notice of the High Commission and it is expected it will be sorted out mutually between husband and wife.”

Verma, who was born in 1965 and is the father of two sons, was assigned to London in 2009, and was previously Executive Assistant to the Minister of External Affairs. He has two masters degrees, one in economics and another in international development.