Not blackmail, charges against Devyani legitimate: Domestic help's lawyer

The lawyer for the domestic help of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade on Thursday said the charges against Khobragade were legitimate but refused to comment on whether the case was strong enough.[caption id="attachment_1295845" align="alignleft" width="380"] Devyani Khobragade. Twitter image[/caption]Speaking to CNN-IBN, Dana Sussman, Sangeeta Richard's lawyer said, "I read the criminal complaint but I cannot comment on the strength or weakness of the case... Yes, there is legitimacy to the charges."Sussman denied the allegations that this was a case of blackmail against the Indian diplomat."My client is just a witness in the case and she has not brought any charges against Khobragade herself," she said.Meanwhile, unfazed by the controversy generated by the case of senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, US prosecutor Preet Bharara on Wednesday said that she was "accorded courtesies" and not handcuffed when she was arrested.In a lengthy and unusual explanation, Bharara said there has been "misinformation and factual inaccuracy" in the reporting on the Khobragade case which is "creating an inflammatory atmosphere." You can read the full text here.