17 Indians await release in Pak man’s murder: Next hearing May 7
Friday, 27/04/2012
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/17-indians-await-release-pak-man%E2%80%99s-murder-next-hearing-may-7/44372
The case of Pakistani national murder, for which 17 Indian nationals, including 16 Punjabis and one from Haryana are facing trial in a Sharjah Court has been adjourned till May 7.
Two Pakistani brothers, Mushtaq Ahmed and Shahid Iqbal had filed a case before the Sharjah Civil Court of First Instance for the alleged killing of Misri Nazir Khan in Jaunary 2009. They had alleged that 17 Indians had assaulted them during a bootlegging fight in which Misri was killed.
The medical panel which had been ordered for the assessment of the petitioners injuries and disabilities had submitted that one of them sustained 30 % injury while the other 10%.
Indian businessman SP Oberoi who has been a crusader for the Indians during the trial said, “A copy of the medical report presented to the court today was given to the advocates of the defendants and the petitioners as well...and the court adjourned the case to May 7.”
He said that since the medical report has been submitted, their lawyers will defend the case for the under trials in the next hearing as the petitioners had claimed that they had been left jobless after the assault incident.
Earlier, the 17 Indians had been awarded death penalty which was commuted after the Khan’s family pardoned them in lieu of blood money amounting to whopping Rs 8 crores, raised by philanthropist Oberoi.
The sentence had recently been reduced to two years imprisonment followed by deportation. Not only this, the same court had even awarded 6 months imprisonment for the crime of bootlegging. Following this, the case was reopened after the case was referred by Supreme Court to the Appeals Court.
Later, the prosecution appealed against the judgment of Appeal Court in the SC on ground that the Appeals had not considered bootlegging and assault charges. The convicts who have already been jailed for three years will not have to serve additional term.
The 17 men have to await for their release which will occur only after the closure of civil case.
