The Centre on Friday put airports across the country on alert to prevent Italy ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving India.
New Delhi also decided to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Rome as it asked its ambassador-designate Basant Kumar Gupta not to take up his posting. He was to leave for Rome on Friday. Gupta was named successor to Debabrata Saha, who retired in December.
The diplomatic standoff also figured at the Friday evening meeting of the Congress core committee, attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The meeting decided that the government should continue its tough stand on the issue. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid apprised the meeting of the stand adopted by the government.
The Home Ministry is understood to have told the External Affairs Ministry that a diplomat ceases to retain immunity if he violates the sovereign commitment he has given to the host country.
15/03/13 Deccan Herald
