MoS Athawale wants Devyani Khobragade Khobragade as his PS?

Devyani Khobragade, the diplomat who hit the limelight following her arrest in the US in 2013 and who has fallen out with a section of the foreign policy establishment of late, may have a new patron in the government.

Devyani Khobragade, the diplomat who hit the limelight following her arrest in the US in 2013 and who has fallen out with a section of the foreign policy establishment of late, may have a new patron in the government.

Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade with her father Uttam Khobragade during a press conference at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. (PTI File Photo)

Newly-inducted minister of state for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, is said to be keen on bringing the former deputy consul-general of India in New York as his private secretary. Athawale’s close aides said that he has taken up the matter with the concerned authorities even as external affairs ministry sources maintained there was no such move yet. Khobragade, currently a director in the MEA, has been on study leave for over six months.

But MEA sources said they have not received any request from Athawale’s office in this regard.

Her father, Uttam Khobragade, a former IAS officer, is the national executive president of RPI-A, which is part of the BJP-Shiv Sena-led Mahayuti (grand alliance) in Maharashtra, and had joined the party in September 2014.