New Delhi: The Centre on Friday informed the Supreme Court that efforts were on and the government was trying everything possible to ensure Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, on death row for murder in Yemen, came out safely.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was informed that Priya’s execution, scheduled on July 16 had been stayed.
The counsel appearing for petitioner organisation “Save Nimisha Priya – International Action Council”, which is extending legal support to assist Priya, sought a Centre-appointed delegation to go to Yemen to meet the murder victim’s family for negotiation.
The bench said the petitioner could make a representation to the government.
“It has been stated at the Bar that as of now, the execution has been stayed. The petitioner wish to make some representation to the government, which they are free to move,” the bench said.
After Attorney General R Venkataramani said Centre’s efforts were on, the petitioner’s counsel said the execution had been stayed.
“The first step is, they have postponed it (execution) as of now. We need to first get the pardon. Blood money comes in the second stage. First the family has to forgive us,” the counsel said.
He said discussion on “blood money” could take place after this.
The counsel said Yemen was not a country where anybody could travel to as there was a ban unless allowed by the government.
“You approach the government. The government will consider it. The government is already doing so much for you, taking good care of whatever is possible at their end,” the bench observed.
The petitioner’s counsel urged that a delegation of two or three people from the petitioner organisation and representatives of a religious scholar from Kerala, who is also involved in the matter, could be allowed the travel to Yemen for negotiating with the victim’s family.
If the Centre deemed fit, the counsel said, one representative from the government could also go to Yemen.
“I don’t think anything formally can happen at this point of time,” Venkataramani said.
“We will certainly consider that but don’t put it
on record,” he said, underlining the government did not want anything to become counterproductive.
When the bench asked whether the execution was stayed indefinitely, the petitioner’s counsel said no date was given as of now.
“Which means something is working,” Venkataramani said.
The petitioner’s counsel said Priya’s mother was there in Yemen to negotiate with the victim’s family and she has gone there as the Delhi High Court asked the Centre to give her permission to travel.