New York:
India today dismissed as "ridiculous" suggestions that the arrest of an American police officer in New Delhi was a tit-for-tat response to last year's detention and strip-search of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in the US.
The Indian consulate in New York said in a statement that any suggestions that the arrest of New York Police Department (NYPD) officer Manny Encarnacion at Delhi airport is connected in any way to Ms Khobragade's detention are "ridiculous".
"The spokesperson of the Consulate General of India, New York, dismissed as ridiculous suggestions that there was any connection between the detention of an NYPD official in New Delhi and the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York," the consulate said in the statement.
The consulate said that the NYPD officer was detained after his baggage was found to contain a few rounds of "live ammunition" when the bags were screened at New Delhi airport, prior to him boarding the flight.
"In India, this is a violation of the Arms Act. Indeed, he was released on bail immediately and is currently in India awaiting a court date to resolve the case," it said.
Encarnacion, 49, was arrested on March 11 at Indira Gandhi International Airport after three bullets were found in his checked luggage before he was to fly back to the US.
New York Republican Congressman Peter King has termed the arrest of Encarnacion as "politically motivated" in response to the arrest of Ms Khobragade and has asked the State Department to seek the release of the officer.
"I write to express my grave concern over the arrest and pending prosecution of New York Police Department officer Manny Encarnacion in India," Mr King said in a letter dated April 4 to Secretary of State John Kerry.
He said Encarnacion is being prosecuted for "unwittingly" having spare bullets in his luggage. Mr King said the bullets being found with Encarnacion was an "innocent mistake".
"This excessive act by the Indian government is clearly politically motivated in response to the arrest of India's then Deputy Consul General in December 2013 in New York for alleged visa fraud," Mr King wrote in the letter.
"From all accounts this was the result of an innocent mistake. It is critical that the State Department intervene in this situation and request that the Indian government release him and permit him to return to the US," Mr King wrote.
Encarnacion has been charged with violating the Arms Act of 1959 and faces up to seven years in prison.
He is barred from leaving India till his case is settled in court and his next court appearance is on April 17.