Washington/Hyderabad, Feb 2 (IBNS) Blowing up India's concern on its nationals, the US defended its Radio tagging and in a late move sent two of the 18 students at a detention camp, and likely to be deported to India. 

The two either to furnish between $8,000 to $20,000 to be released, and could be deported after that and many others have been served what is called a 'Notice to Appear', which is said to be the first step in the deportation process in America.

The US says the radio tags are an alternative to formal detention because they allow the tracking of people that are part of an investigation.

India's Foreign Affairs Minister SM Krishna described this as "adding insult to the injury" and said that he will ask the US to investigate why "dubious" universities are not more closely tracked and checked. 

Indian students at Tri Valley University are part of a massive crackdown by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) against visa fraud. Most of the students at the Californian college are Indians. The University has been shut down on the grounds that it was charging students to help them illegally migrate and work in the US. Some of those students have since been radio tagged.

On Tuesday evening, a US diplomat in Hyderabad was forced to apologise for her insensitive remarks on radio tags. 

The US in reply to India complaints about radio-tagging of some Indian students, said this was one of the "standard procedures for a variety of investigations, and does not necessarily imply guilt or suspicion of criminal activity." 

Amid outrage in some quarters in India about the electronic monitoring of 18 students from among nearly 1,500 caught up in the incident, the state department explained the use of ankle monitor "is a positive alternative to confinement during a pending investigation." 

"(It) does not necessarily imply guilt or suspicion of criminal activity. An ankle monitor sends a radio frequency signal containing location and other information to a receiver. It allows for freedom of movement and is a positive alternative to confinement during a pending investigation," the US said.

"Tri-Valley University fraud allegations are an excellent example of the universally damaging effects of visa fraud." Such visa fraud "hinders genuine students from studying in the US and causes opportunities and resources to be taken away from legitimate applicants," media reports said on Wednesday.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) claimed the Tri-College college acted as a front for a massive immigration racket. Ninety five per cent of the students are reported to be from India. Some of them are now in danger or being deported. 

In India's city of Hyderabad a US Consulate officer offered her apology for her comments of Radio Tags.

Juliet Wurr, who handles Public Affairs at the US Consulate in Hyderabad, had said the 18 students being made to wear ankle bracelets in America should choose to see it as a bang-on-trend moment.

"It's funny people getting upset about this. I don't know about your servants ...but my servant has big heavy silver anklets...that look a heck of a lot more uncomfortable and binding," Wurr told NDTV.

Moments later she returned to TV to express her deep regret for her comments, after the Indian government lodged a complaint with the US Deputy Chief of Mission Donald Lu.

"I apologise deeply because I would never want to insult or hurt the feelings of any Indian, particularly young people who are going through a very trying time now in this situation," she said.