Saudi Govt Unwilling to Co-operate in Rape Investigation

Saudi Arabia continues to deny the rape allegations against the Saudi diplomat.

The two Nepalses women. (Photo: PTI)

Saudi Arabia is unwilling to co-operate with India in the investigation of the rape case filed by two Nepalese women against a Saudi diplomat.

I would refer you to the embassy statement on this, please go back to the embassy statement on this released a few days ago. No talks on it.
— Saud Mohammed Alsati, Saudi Ambassador to India to The Quint

The diplomat is identified as Majid Ashoor, deputy head of the visa section in the Saudi Embassy according to a report by The Indian Express.

A father of three, Ashoor has allegedly raped two Nepalese women – aged 20 and 40 – working as domestic helps in his house in Gurgaon.

The Saudi Embassy had issued a statement on Wednesday terming the allegations “false” and said it has protested the police “intrusion” into a diplomat’s house against “all diplomatic conventions”. Saudi Arabia is unwilling to change its stand on issue and continues r maintain that the diplomat is innocent.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had written to Saudi Arabian government to cooperate, on Gurgaon police’s request, with the investigation against its Delhi-based diplomat, on September 10. So far MEA has not confirmed receiving any formal response from the Saudi Arabian Embassy.

The Gurgaon police has informed the MEA that it is essential to interrogate the Saudi diplomat allegedly involved in the rape case to find out the identities of other accused.

The rape victims had mentioned to the police that they were raped by the diplomat’s friends too.

So far, Gurgaon police is clueless about the identity of the other accused.

Diplomat could be entitled to immunity but his friends may not. Now the question remains if the police fail to question the diplomat then his friends may also go scot free.