17 death-row Indians refuse blood money deal in UAE murder
Dubai: Seventeen Indians, on a death row in the UAE for killing a Pakistani man have turned down an offer to pay blood money under a proposed settlement to escape the noose, claiming they were innocent.
The 17 Indians, 16 from the Punjab and one from Haryana, were awarded death in March this year by a Sharjah court which found them guilty for the murder of a Misri Nazir Khan, a Pakistani national, near a Sharjah labour camp over bootlegging dispute in January 2009.
Blood money is paid to the next of kin of a murder victim as a fine.
The convicted Indians spurned a proposal to settle the case by paying blood compensation to the family of the Pakistani man, who was hacked to death in Sharjah in a brawl to sell illicit liquor.
Lawyer of the Indians, Bindu Suresh Chettur said 'the family of the Pakistani man told the court that they were ready to accept compensation including blood money but we refused because justice is on our side'.
"The prosecution has failed to establish the relationship between the offence, weapon with which crime was committed and the scene of the crime. No evidence has yet been brought before us," she told PTI after a hearing yesterday.
According to her, evidence cannot be accepted in the light that no weapon has yet been presented before the court as evidence.
"It is the duty of the prosecution to establish that the weapon which was used to commit the crime is present before the court. That hasn't happened despite several hearings," she said.
The court has fixed February 17 as the next date for hearing during which more witnesses have been asked to be present.
During the previous hearing in the Sharjah Appeals court, on December 17, the defence was prepared to cross-examine the evidence that the prosecution was to bring to the court but that didn't materialise.
Instead a CD containing the reconstruction of the scene of the crime was provided. However, the police officials that were supposed to be present in the court did not show up.
The court has asked the prosecution to ensure the presence of witnesses, including a Sharjah police personnel who prepared the report which formed the basis of conviction. Indian government has expressed concern over the sentencing to death of 17 Indians. T
The government had instructed the Indian Mission in Dubai to engage the services of a leading legal firm to defend the accused.
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