Indian Consul General slapped with forced labour suit in NY

New York, Jun 21 (PTI) Prabhu Dayal, the Indian Consul
General in New York, has been accused of treating a former
domestic help as a slave and making sexual advances, charges
rejected by him as "mischievous" and "complete nonsense".
Santosh Bhardwaj, Dayal's former maid, has filed a
forced labour suit against him for making her work for long
hours everyday at USD 300 a month, confiscating her passport
and letting her sleep in a storage closet. She has also
alleged him of making sexual advances.
"I filed the complaint because I want to be paid for
all the labour I provided and for all the injustice I suffered
- and I want my passport returned," Bhardwaj (45), the mother
of four, said.
Dayal, however, has rubbished the charges against him.
"Complete nonsense".
"These are mischievous and malicious lies," he told
PTI.
Meanwhile, External Ministry sources said India
was trying to ascertain details of the case.
"We are trying to ascertain the details," sources
accompanying External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on his
Myanmar visit said.
Dayal's lawyer Ravi Batra described the charges as a
"fantasy" and said, "This fraudster of a woman, seeing dollar
signs, has hit on a 'GET RICH QUICK' scheme after a year and a
half of illegally staying and working in New York: fraudulent
defamation of a highly respected and honored member of the
diplomatic corps in New York."

Bhardwaj said she was lured to the US with a promise
of an hourly pay of USD 10 and overtime pay. Instead, she said
her payment was less than USD 1 an hour, and her passport was
confiscated.
"The Dayals did not treat me fairly," she said in a
statement issued by the Legal Aid Society, which is
representing her.
She also alleged that on one occasion Dayal told her
she could only have the additional money if she gave him a
"massage."
"Bhardwaj interpreted this as a sexual advance and was
deeply offended. After that incident, Bhardwaj left the Dayals
home and did not return," said the statement.
Dayal rejected the accusation, saying, "No question. I
never asked for a massage... I deny it outright...I don't need
a massage... I'm fit."
According to Dayal, Bhardwaj had absconded in January
2010 after he did not allow her to work outside the Consulate
since it was not permitted under the terms of her visa. "She
wanted to moonlight (earn more money). But it was against the
rules so I did not permit it," he said.
Dayal said Bhardwaj did not sleep in a storeroom but
had her own room on the fifth floor of the Consulate building
in Manhattan, which was equipped with a television and phone.
"She lived in the lap of luxury. We paid her line with
regulation."
The Indian official said that Bhardwaj received money
in the US as well as "Rs 14,000 was deposited in her bank
account in India every month." He also said she was only made
to work for six hours and was paid overtime when asked to cook
for guests.
"She had lots of money in US dollars. How else has
she survived for this year-and-a-half," he said.