Kerala legislator, K.A. Paul blamed for delaying Nimisha Priya release

Dubai: Kunjahammed Koorachund, treasurer of the Nimisha Priya Action Council, has made explosive allegations against a young MLA from South Kerala, claiming he is obstructing efforts to secure the release of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who remains on death row in Yemen.

According to Kunjahammed, the MLA is allegedly supporting individuals who are complicating ongoing negotiations for her release. “If the MLA stops backing them, we could achieve Nimisha’s release swiftly,” he asserted in a social media post, as reported by Mathrubhumi.

He named two key figures as obstructing the process: K.A. Paul, a controversial evangelist from Andhra Pradesh, and Samuel Jerome, both of whom reportedly intervened in blood money negotiations. Kunjahammed claimed that Talal’s family — the relatives of the Yemeni man murdered in 2017 — had initially agreed to accept $1 million as diya (blood money) in exchange for pardoning Nimisha.

However, Paul and Jerome allegedly offered a higher sum, which led to internal confusion and a subsequent breakdown in talks.

MLA’s intentions questioned

Kunjahammed also questioned the MLA’s intentions, asking why the politician had approached the Kerala Governor regarding the matter. “His father once contacted us and helped raise the issue with the then Minister of State for External Affairs. But now, his son is taking a different route. What’s his agenda?” he asked.

According to reports, Congress MLA Chandy Oommen and his mother Mariyamma Oommen—wife of the late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy—met Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram last month regarding the Nimisha Priya case. However, it has not been confirmed whether Kunjahammed was referring to Chandy Oommen in his social media allegations.

Meanwhile, Abdul Fattah Mahdi, brother of the deceased Yemeni businessman Talal Abdo Mahdi, has once again demanded the execution of Nimisha Priya. In a letter dated July 30, addressed to Yemen’s Attorney General Judge Abdul Salam Al Houthi, he called for the immediate enforcement of the death sentence—originally scheduled for July 16.

Earlier, on July 25, Abdul Fattah issued a similar statement, reiterating that no agreement had been reached with Indian religious leaders or diplomats who claimed to be working on a resolution.

MEA: Execution postponed, not cancelled

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that Nimisha Priya’s execution has been postponed, though not cancelled. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that diplomatic efforts are continuing through third-party nations, given India has no embassy in Yemen.

“This is a sensitive matter,” Jaiswal said in a weekly briefing. He urged media and the public to avoid speculation, stating that claims of a pardon or commuted sentence are factually incorrect.

Despite the MEA’s caution, K.A. Paul released a video message from Sanaa last month, claiming that Nimisha Priya’s death sentence had been cancelled, not just delayed.

“By God’s grace, Nimisha Priya will be released and returned to India,” said Dr. Paul. “I want to thank Prime Minister Modi ji for preparing to send diplomats to bring her back professionally and safely.”

Paul credited the supposed breakthrough to “ten days of round-the-clock prayerful efforts” by Indian and Yemeni leaders. He also offered to provide logistical support for her return to India via Oman, Egypt, Iran, Jeddah, or Turkey, in coordination with the Indian government.

Who is Nimisha Priya?

Nimisha Priya, 37, hails from Palakkad, Kerala, and moved to Yemen in 2008 to work as a nurse. She later opened her own medical clinic in Sanaa. In 2017, she was arrested for the murder of her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mahdi, whose body was found hidden in a water tank.

According to reports, Priya allegedly attempted to sedate Talal in a bid to retrieve her passport, which he had withheld. The sedation attempt went wrong, resulting in his death. Yemeni courts sentenced her to death by execution, triggering a years-long legal and humanitarian campaign to save her life.

A daughter’s plea

In a recent emotional video from Yemen, Nimisha’s 13-year-old daughter, Michelle, appealed for help. "I miss my mother. Please help bring her back," she said. Michelle had traveled to Yemen with her father and Action Council members to support efforts for her mother’s release.

Who is K.A. Paul?

Killari Anand Paul, commonly known as K.A. Paul, is a 61-year-old Christian evangelist from Andhra Pradesh known for his dramatic claims and globe-trotting ‘peace missions’. He heads two U.S.-based organisations: Global Peace Initiative and Gospel to the Unreached Millions, the latter focused on evangelical outreach.

Paul claims to have counselled world leaders, including US Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump. In an interview with a Telugu channel, he even claimed to have met Joe Biden to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict and boasted that his fundraising capacity stands at Rs 100 trillion.

He owns a Boeing 747 aircraft, often cited as a symbol of his global outreach. Despite these lofty claims, Paul has struggled politically. He founded the Praja Shanti Party in 2008 and contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Visakhapatnam, securing just 7,529 votes out of more than 1.3 million, finishing far behind the winner Mathukumilli Bharat.

In 2019, none of the Praja Shanti Party candidates won seats in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.

Paul’s involvement in the Nimisha Priya case has stirred controversy, with many questioning his motives and the validity of his financial promises.