UK Indian diplomat's wife goes into hiding: Report
LONDON: The wife of Indian diplomat Anil Verma, accused of beating her at their official residence in London, has gone into hiding with the couple's five-year-old son over fears for her safety, a media report said.
Paromita Verma is living in fear of her life after moving out of their home and has applied for leave to remain in the UK on humanitarian grounds amid fears that she would be forcibly taken back to India, the 'Daily Mail' reported.
An IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, Anil Verma, who is the third senior-most diplomat and Minister (economic) in the Indian High Commission in the UK, had reportedly sought immunity from prosecution after being questioned by the police over claims that he assaulted his wife in December.
"Throughout their time over here, Anil would boast about his diplomatic immunity and he would tell Paromita that no one could touch him because of it. He would goad her and say, 'Call the police as many times as you want. I've got diplomatic immunity'.
"He was shameless with it. He has been given so much power and he is abusing it. Paromita has gone into hiding and seriously fears that her safety and health are in jeopardy," a close family friend of the Vermas was quoted by the British newspaper as saying.
Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs had issued a statement on the issue: "The Ministry of External Affairs and our High Commission in London are aware of and are looking into the matter."