Lost amid the sturm und drang of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade’s arrest and strip-search in New York City is the person who set the huge scandal ball rolling – Sangeeta Richard.
Presumably in her 30s, Sangeeta Richard is the Indian maid Devyani brought to the U.S. in November 2012 to help with babysitting her two young daughters and other household chores.
It’s not in the least surprising that Devyani, an Indian Foreign Service officer, should bring a maid along with her.
Middle class and upper class Indians are addicted to having maids for washing, cooking, looking after children, performing odd jobs and, in some instances like Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja, for sexual gratification too.
An ambitious and bold woman, Sangeeta left behind her husband Philip and two young children in India and came to the U.S. to improve her family’s prospects. Her husband was a driver with the Mozambique Embassy in Delhi until he joined her in the U.S. recently.
By March 2013, Sangeeta wanted to earn more money by working outside Devyani’s house in NYC but was denied permission to do so by her boss Devyani on the ground that her visa did not allow it.
If the charges submitted by U.S. authorities against Devyani in court are true, Sangeeta was not being paid the legal minimum wages but a slave wage of $3.31 per hour although documents submitted to the U.S. embassy in India for getting her a Visa showed she would be paid $4,500 a month, and at least $9.50 per hour.
Given previous problems with Indian maids, the NYC Indian Consulate should have been careful when Sangeeta was brought into the U.S. but they do not seem to have paid much attention.
Fast Track Green Card
There seems little doubt that Sangeeta is cooperating fully with the U.S. law enforcement authorities in assisting the investigation and providing evidence to support her charges of being abused by Devyani Khobragade by way of not being paid the U.S. legal minimum wages.
In exchange for her cooperation, Sangeeta and her family have been provided T Non-immigrant Visas as the first step toward issuing them U.S. Green Cards.
U.S. Congress created T Visas in October 2000 to help law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute human trafficking, and offer protection to alleged victims like Sangeeta.
What to me seems weird is that Sangeeta Richard is seen by U.S. authorities as a victim of human trafficking although she willingly came to the U.S. knowing that she would be paid a lower wage, if the charges against Devyani filed in court by U.S. authorities are correct.
Usually T Visa holders must wait for three years to file for a Green Card.
But if the U.S. Attorney General certifies that the investigation is complete then the Green Card application may be filed early.
In Sangeeta’s case, the investigation into Devyani’s alleged crimes is likely to be completed soon and she should be able to quickly file a Green Card petition after getting clearance from the U.S. Attorney General’s office.
Expect Sangeeta and her family to be U.S. Permanent Residents (correct name for Green Card holders) in two years or less. This is pretty fast considering it can take 5-10 years for Indian software programmers before they can get Green Cards.
Sangeeta Richard, her husband Philip and two children are appropriate recipients for the Green Cards.
U.S. – Right Move
U.S. has done the right thing by issuing T Visas to Sangeeta and her family.
Indian bureaucrats have already harassed Sangeeta’s family members by arresting them in retaliation for her complaint against Devyani. A case was filed against Sangeeta in the Delhi High Court last year.
Leaving Sangeeta’s family in India or deporting Sangeeta to India would be tantamount to leaving them at the mercy of wolves.
Indian judiciary and bureaucracy are extremely biased against the lower classes, who often fall victim to oppressive state action on specious and merit-less grounds.
U.S. must be applauded in quietly getting Sangeeta’s family to the U.S. before initiating action against Devyani Khobragade for her alleged crimes.
Related Devyani Stories:
What Likely Happened During Devyani’s Strip Search?
Sexy Indian Diplomat Devyani Khobragade Arrested in NYC for Alleged Visa Fraud
Who the Heck is Devyani Khobragade?
Will Devyani’s Arrest Trigger a Diplomatic Row Between India & America?
Legal Complaint Against Devyani Khobragade
IFS officer admits owning two flats on ‘govt land’
NYC Indian Consulate Has a Maid in India Problem
Sangeeta Richard – Gutsy Indian Maid on Fast Track to U.S. Green Card added by SearchIndia.com on
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off topic: what do you think of Indian government doling out free fertility treatment for Parsi community, to help increase their population? (in re: today’s India Ink article)
Searchindia.com Responds:
Preposterous!
If you ask me, that nation breeds too much! 🙁
I have heard that there are criminal castes/tribes (yes, there really are criminal tribes in AP, TN etc) whose numbers too are dwindling. Why not extend IVF treatment to them too!
http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/government-to-offer-free-fertility-treatments-to-create-parsi-baby-boom
Sangeeta’s family is in US now? How did they get in there? And why was a case registered last year here?
Searchindia.com Responds:
1. Sangeeta’s family has been here since December 10. They are probably holed up in some safe-house in Queens or Long Island. Since it’s a human trafficking case, Sangeeta’s family got here on dependent T Visas.
2. Indian government registered a case against Sangeeta in Delhi as a pressure tactic to intimidate her into withdrawing her complaint against Devyani in NYC.
I appreciate the US govt. for this.
In all high profile cases, normally the focus remains too much on the accused and the affected party is often forgotten, So, well done.
John Kerry has also worded a cautious regret, which would do for the Indian govt. to shut up on this issue.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: John Kerry has also worded a cautious regret, which would do for the Indian govt. to shut up on this issue.
I’m not sure you’d shut up if a U.S. Marshal stripped you and peered into your asshole, pussy, tits etc without “reasonable suspicion.”
http://www.searchindia.com/2013/12/18/what-likely-happened-during-nyc-indian-diplomat-devyanis-strip-search
I seriously think that the maid has sold snake oil to the Preet Bharara, who is blinded by his political ambitions.
I think he still suffers from the typical desi-complex of overdoing things to prove his worthiness to his foreign masters.
This case is going nowhere – Devyani will walk free, the maid will get a Green Card and work in some Patel store for even lower wage, and Preet Bharara will have egg on his face!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: This case is going nowhere – Devyani will walk free, the maid will get a Green Card and work in some Patel store for even lower wage, and Preet Bharara will have egg on his face!
Some people look at the forest (big picture).
Alas, some can only see the trees.
But you, sweetie, can only look at the leaves on the trees (“Patel store”)! 😉
Preet Bharara and the U.S. have already made their point – They have stripped Devyani and India bare and robbed them of any dignity they may have had. http://www.searchindia.com/2013/12/18/what-likely-happened-during-nyc-indian-diplomat-devyanis-strip-search
2. Of course, Devyani will walk but not “free”…You forget that Devyani has already spread her legs, already bent forward at the waist and already exposed her asshole and pussy to the distrustful eyes of her American captors.
In my lexicon, that would not be walking free but I suppose we use different dictionaries.
3. You are right, unless Sangeeta does something really stupid she will get a Green Card.
4. You write: Preet Bharara will have egg on his face
I thought pot was still not legal in your state!
Egg on Bharara’s face? That’s what Rajaratnam, Rajat Gupta and scores of other defendants thought.
Hey, dreaming is no crime.
And the winners are……………………………………….
“The Lawyers” who will charge millions all paid by us humble taxpayers.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Speaking purely from an American perspective (lawyers here are demonized by the Republican Party), I’d describe them as a necessary evil in the face of great corporate malfeasance of different kinds.
Here she is. Sangeeta Richard – http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9151/8br1.jpg
SearchIndia.com Responds:
I’ll take Devyani any day! 😉
What is you problem in Sangeetha getting green card quickly. [Trash Talk]
SearchIndia.com Blog:
Hey, if I can tolerate you here why would I object to Sangeeta.
These blogs are perhaps the only ones in cyberspace that calls it as it should be.
I am simply aghast at how everyone has managed to turn the victim into an aggressor and the aggressor into this frail, innocent victim.
How naive the people of India are to be so easily misled by this savvy [Deleted] and her equally savvy [Deleted] of a father!
Even a cursory search on google reveals the extent of this [Deleted because Not Proven] privileged allotment of flats and plots.
BTW, I wonder if the same outpouring of support would have been there had this woman been an ugly old hag.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. The real victim has been abandoned by everyone except the U.S.
Even if Sangeeta Richard changed her tactic after coming to the U.S., I’d still consider her the real victim because of her “class-struggle.”
2. You write: BTW, I wonder if the same outpouring of support would have been there had this woman been an ugly old hag.
I’m inclined to say ‘yes’ because economic and social class usually trumps other elements.