DA Preet Bharara Opposes Plea Deadline Extension For Indian Diplomat’s Indictment

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NEW YORK – India-bornU.S. prosecutor Preet Bhararahas told a judge here that his officeis opposed to the one-monthextension of the deadline forcharging Devyani Khobragadein a visa fraud case as soughtby her, saying plea discussionscan continue even after she ischarged.Khobragade’s lawyer DanielArshack has submitted a requestwith Magistrate Judge SarahNetburn of the U.S. DistrictCourt for the Southern Districtof New York seeking postponementof the preliminary hearingdate, currently scheduled forJanuary 13 and extension of theindictment deadline by 30 days“to and including February 12,2014”.Responding to Arshack’srequest, Bharara wrote to thejudge that the government is notseeking an extension of thedeadline for indictment.He said the one-monthadjournment of the January13 preliminary hearing datehas been sought in order tofacilitate the plea discussionsthat have been ongoing betweenhis office and Khobragade.“This office remainsreceptive to continuing theplea discussions that havetaken place over the past severalweeks. We have participated inhours of discussion in the hopeof negotiating a plea that couldbe entered in Court before January13,” Bharara said.