NYC Based Lawyer Batra Welcomes Arrival of Shakuntala Patel in Madison

57 year old grandfather, Sureshbhai Patel bleeding and temporarily paralyzed in Huntsville Hospital

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Washington, DC – New York based Indian-American lawyer Ravi Batra congratulated both Indian and American governments for the lightening speed shown in issuing a visa to the wife of an Indian grandfather assaulted by an Alabama policeman.

In a statement noted lawyer Batra said, “Due to the now-special relationship between United States and India, exemplified by (US Secretary of State) Sec. John Kerry and (Indian Foreign Minister) FM Sushma Swaraj, I’m delighted to share the good news: as I’ve been informed by Air India’s RM Rishikant Singh that when he reached out to Sureshbhai’s family on Friday, he was told Shakuntala Patel had arrived in Madison.”

“The governments of US and India produced the “ointment” I was seeking, Shakuntala Patel in Madison, and did so quietly and elegantly. All credit goes only to John Kerry and Sushma Swaraj. Proud to be an Indian-American, with both governments exemplifying humanitarian motives naturally,” added Batra.

Earlier Batra wrote a letter to Air India`s Regional Manager to fly in free the wife of Sureshbhai Patel, 57, who was slammed to the ground February 6 while out on a walk outside his son`s house in Madison, Alabama. Patel, who was left partially paralyzed by the encounter was transferred to a rehabilitation facility Monday, but according to Patel family`s attorney Hank Sherrod, “He has a long, difficult and uncertain rehabilitation process ahead of him.”

In another letter to Secretary Kerry, Batra had requested for a humanitarian visa at the earliest for Patel’s wife saying, he was writing to him as “an Indian-American, proud of my roots, and as a citizen who adores and cherishes what makes America special: our hallowed Constitution and Thomas Jefferson`s Declaration of Independence.”

Urging a humanitarian visa for Shakuntala Patel, wife of Sureshbhai, Batra said it “will go a long way in being an ointment to many a hurt soul.”

On Friday, Jen Psaki, the outgoing State Department Spokesperson told journalists, “Unfortunately, we don’t discuss any visa cases regardless, and certainly, as I’ve noted in here before, our hearts go out to the family and to all of those in the community who are, as we are, standing with this man who was attacked in Alabama.”

Psaki was replying to questions about Batra’s letter requesting for a humanitarian visa and added, “I can’t go into specifics. Obviously, each visa is adjudicated on a case-by-case basis.”

Patel, an Indian citizen suffered trauma when he was stopped by police while taking a walk around his son’s neighborhood. The encounter ended with the 57 year old grandfather, Sureshbhai Patel bleeding and temporarily paralyzed in Huntsville Hospital.

The Madison Police department at a press conference recently released portions of audios and videos pertaining to the incident. The non-emergency call to police, shows a neighbor describing Patel as a “skinny black guy” and said that he’d “never seen him before” in the neighborhood. The neighbor further told the dispatcher that the man was “just wandering around” and “walking close to the garage.” Asked to estimate his age, the caller guessed man was in his 30′s.

Chief Larry Muncey told the journalists at the same press conference that he recommended termination for one of the officers, Eric Parker, who had turned himself in on charges of assault in the third degree. The Chief said his department concluded from its investigation into the incident that the officer’s actions “did not meet the high standards and expectations” of his department. Apologizing to Patel, Patel’s family, and the community, the police chief confirmed that the FBI was conducting a “parallel inquiry to ascertain if there were any federal violations.”

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