Indian police has issued an arrest warrant against a Saudi diplomat working at the Saudi embassy in New Delhi on charge of enslaving and sexually abusing two Nepali women.

The Saudi visa counsellor at the Saudi embassy and his assistant have been charged with trafficking two Nepali women (name withheld) from Baglung and Morang districts and forcing them into sexual activities for the past five months.

The victim duo, in their statement, said that the counsellor had kept them in confinement at his home at Caitriona Complex in Gurgaon, Hariyana, and forced them into sexual activities with his Saudi guests.

The victims were first flown into New Delhi by a Nepali agent who promised them jobs as maid in Saudi Arabia. From India, they were flown into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by an Indian agent.

After some time at Jeddah, they were again flown back India where they were kept in captivity at the diplomat’s apartment. They said that they were repeatedly exploited and raped by the guests of the Saudi diplomat.

Bal Krishna Panday, the founder of Maiti India, a non-profit organisation, said that the counsellor will be prosecuted under seven different sections of human trafficking, sexual exploitations law, among others. Panday also informed that the two women will be flown back to Kathmandu after they record their statements with the police and complete other necessary legal procedures.

Maiti India had helped the women file a case against the diplomat.

Indian news agencies have reported that despite a case filed against the diplomat, police are unsure about further proceeding in the case as the person involved was a Saudi diplomat. They have also reported that the Saudi Arabian embassy in New Delhi has refuted the claims arguing that the allegations levelled against the diplomat were false.