Indian maid may get $1.5 mn as damages

A U.S judge recommended that an Indian diplomat and her husband, accused of slavery by their Indian maid is to pay 1.5 million dollars as damages.

US magistrate judge Frank Maas has said in a February 22^nd recommendation filed with judge Victor Marrero of the US district court that Shanti Gurung be paid by the Indian couples for their barbaric treatment while she was working as their domestic worker.

Gurung's lawyer told to the reporters that the parties were given two weeks time to file any objection to Maas's recommendation. However no objection has been filed as of March 7^th.

Karlan said that the recommendation of the Magistrate will automatically become the final ruling of the court unless an objection has been filed till March 7^th.

Maas's recommendation has to be approved by Judge Marrero, who is over-seeing the case. At the time of filing the recommendation, it was ruled that the judgement will become final in 14 days in the absence of any objection of the parties.

Malhotra had worked as the counselor of press, culture, information, education and community affairs at the consulate general of India n Manhattan in the year 2006, when she had brought Gurung from India as their domestic worker.

Gurung has alleged that she was a victim of outrageous and shocking conduct.

She also said that the Malhotra's had seized her passport and treated her unfairly, by giving her a meagre salary for her long hours of work and also not providing her with adequate food.

Gurung also added that she was also not provided adequate boarding and was made to sleep on the floor of the Malhotra's three bedroom flat.

When asked about Gurung's whereabouts in the US, Karlan declined to give any information of Gurung where his client is and how she is managing her stay.

Karan said that the Malhotra's refused for over a year to participate in the case and defend themselves adding that he would begin the process of tracking down the Malhotra's assets and plan to go after the couple's assets to ensure the compensation is made to Gurung.

News reported by  AR for News vision online news paper