NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre whether it was willing to grant permission to mother of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse who is on death row in Yemen for killing a Yemini national, to travel to the country to negotiate with the victim’s family about paying ‘blood money’ to save her daughter.
The Centre’s counsel informed Justice Subramonium Prasad that India does not have diplomatic ties with Yemen and it has closed down its embassy there. The counsel said it would not be desirable for the mother to visit the foreign nation currently riven by strife.
“The situation in the Middle East is not good. India will not be able to help if anything happens to the petitioner (mother) there. We don’t want a ransom demand situation should arise there,” he submitted. The matter came before Justice Prasad following the urgent plea moved by petitioner Premakumari, mother of Nimisha Priya who was seeking compliance of a November 16 order which has a direction to the Centre to decide the plea. It was informed that few Indians staying in Yemen who are permitted to travel to India by granting them visa to visit their families.
These people have also given their NOC to accompany the mother to Yemen, the court was informed. Accordingly, the court directed the mother’s counsel to file the affidavit and asked the Centre’s counsel to obtain instructions. It informed the HC that Priya’s appeal against the death sentence was dismissed by the Yemen Supreme Court and her execution could take place anytime. ‘Blood money’ is compensation paid by an offender or his kin to the family of the victim.
