India on Wednesday summoned the acting deputy chief of mission (DCM) at the US embassy to register New Delhi’s objections to Washington’s comments on India’s legal process in the context of the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Acting DCM Gloria Berbena was summoned to the external affairs ministry in the South Block in full view of the media more than a day after a US state department spokesman told Reuters in response to an emailed query on the arrest that “we encourage a fair, transparent and timely legal process for chief minister Kejriwal”.

The US is the second leading democracy to comment on the arrest; the first being Germany.

Soon after Berbena left the South Block, external affairs ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal issued a statement that made no mention of the summoning but articulated India’s response to the US state department’s comments.

“We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India. In diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others. This responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.

“India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” the statement said.

In the case of Germany, too, India summoned the DCM of the German mission but acknowledged it in the official statement that was issued by the ministry.

On the German front, the summoning on Saturday appears to have had the desired effect as far as India is concerned. Asked on Wednesday whether Germany has full confidence in the Indian justice system, a German foreign office spokesman said: “The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental human values and freedoms. And we share these democratic values with India as an important partner in Asia.”