Nimisha Priya case: Supreme Court asks Centre to decide on Yemen travel for pardon talks

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that only Nimisha Priya’s family should engage with the victim’s relatives in Yemen to seek pardon for the Kerala nurse sentenced to death for murder.

Attorney General R Venkataramani said intervention by any other organisation would not be effective. "The family is the only entity that should be involved," he told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta.

The court was hearing a plea by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, which sought permission to send a delegation to Yemen for negotiations. Senior advocate R. Basant, representing the NGO, said they had identified religious and civil society contacts in Yemen, including a Kerala-based Islamic scholar, to help facilitate talks.

“Without special permission, we cannot travel to Yemen due to the existing ban,” said Basant, requesting the government to allow 2–3 members of the Council and a representative of the cleric to travel.

The AG declined to make any formal commitment, citing diplomatic sensitivities and “inter-country relations”. He cautioned that external involvement could risk “counterproductive” consequences.

“We don’t want to complicate a delicate situation or create unnecessary news cycles,” Venkataramani said, urging the court not to record any directions regarding travel.

The bench refused to pass any judicial direction but asked the NGO to make a formal representation to the government. The matter will be heard next on August 14.

Nimisha Priya’s execution, originally scheduled for July 16, has been temporarily stayed. The government confirmed it is pursuing all possible channels to ensure her safe return.

The MEA stated it is in contact with friendly governments, local Yemeni authorities, and has provided legal and consular support to Priya’s family.

However, the victim’s brother has publicly rejected any possibility of pardon, reiterating that qisas (retaliation) must be carried out.

Muslim cleric Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar, the Grand Mufti of India, reportedly played a behind-the-scenes role in securing the temporary stay, reaching out to Yemeni scholars to push for acceptance of diya (blood money).