Indian 'should pay £1m for mistreating servant'

www.telegraph.co.uk

An Indian diplomat should pay just under £1 million to a young female servant she and her husband kept in 'slave' conditions, according to an American judge.

The girl was brought to the United States to work as an underage servant for India’s cultural and press counselor in New York for around £60 per month.

But when she arrived at the Manhattan apartment of Neena Malhotra and her husband, her passport was confiscated, and she was warned she would be beaten, raped and sent home to India as ‘cargo’ if she left the home without their permission.

According to her lawyer, Shanti Gurung was induced by the Malhotras to pretend she was older than 17 to American immigration authorities and then forced to work without pay.

Her case is the latest in a series of embarrassing claims of abuse and indecent conduct by Indian diplomats working abroad in the last year. One official at India’s High Commission in London was recalled following allegations that he had punched his wife in the face in a row over a Christmas and another at its UN mission in New York was accused of being drug and sexually harassing women on an airliner.

The country’s then foreign secretary Nirupama Rao warned her officials there would be ‘zero tolerance’ for any future incidents.

This latest case dates back to 2006 when Ms Gurung first arrived in New York to work for Mrs Malhotra. The Malhotra’s later returned to India, where Neena Malhotra continues to work for its Ministry of External Affairs where the allegations are considered a “private matter.” The case is now being considered by Judge Victor Marrero of New York’s southern district who will decide whether to accept magistrate judge Frank Maas’ recommendation that Ms Gurung be awarded just under $1.5 million in compensation.

According to Judge Maas Ms Gurung had been forced to work long hours without pay for three years and described her treatment as “barbaric.” She had been denied food and lost more than 60 pounds in weight as a result.

“Gurung should be awarded judgment against the Malhotras in the amount of $1,458,335 because of their barbaric treatment of her,” he said.