'Deceased's Brother Not Part Of Negotiations,' Nimisha Priya's Counsel Confirms Overturning Death Sentence
"The deceased's wife and his parents are involved in the process. Therefore, the brother's claim has no significance."
Published : July 30, 2025 at 9:25 AM IST
New Delhi: Advocate Subhash Chandran K R, the counsel for Nimisha Priya in the Supreme Court, on Tuesday, said that he has received information from the negotiators in Yemen that the death sentence of the Kerala nurse has been overturned.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, he said that he received information on Monday night that the death sentence had been overturned and further negotiations with the family are underway. "Now we are going to talk to the victim's family about the blood money. We are trying to get her released by paying blood money," he said.
The 37-year-old nurse was set to be executed on July 16 after being found guilty of murdering Yemeni national Talal Abdo Mahdi in June 2018, a verdict that the country’s Supreme Judicial Council upheld in November 2023. However, her execution was postponed due to "concerted efforts" by India’s 'Grand Mufti' and the Indian government.
Reacting to the deceased's brother's social media claim that the family has not agreed to the overturning of the sentence, he said that the brother is not part of the negotiation process. "The deceased's wife and his parents are involved in this process. Now, the talks primarily concern blood money. Therefore, the brother's claim has no significance,".
The counsel further said that there is also a demand from the family that she be given a jail sentence by commuting the death penalty. " We are trying to convince the family to get Nimisha Priya released by paying blood money at the earliest. We are also having talks with the tribal leaders," he added.
Adv. Subhash termed the development a success in the negotiation process. He added that Nimisha's family is also informed of the same. Subhash Chandran had filed a petition in the Supreme Court on behalf of Nimisha, appealing to the apex court to direct the central government to employ diplomatic efforts for the release of Nimisha Priya.
Earlier on July 17, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that it was actively working to support Nimisha Priya and was extending all possible assistance in the case. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a press briefing, stated that the MEA had appointed a lawyer to assist Priya's family in navigating the complex legal process in Yemen. This includes exploring options for clemency or pardon under Sharia law.
Nimisha Priya is a trained nurse and has worked in private hospitals in Yemen for a few years. Her husband and minor daughter returned to India in 2014 because of financial reasons, and in that same year, Yemen was gripped by civil war, and they could not go back as the country stopped issuing new visas. Later in 2015, Nimisha joined hands with a Yemeni citizen, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to set up her clinic in Sanaa.
As per Yemeni laws, foreigners are not allowed to run businesses independently, so Priya’s association with Mahdi became a legal necessity. However, the partnership turned abusive over time.
Mahdi allegedly misused a wedding photograph taken during a trip to India to falsely claim marriage with Priya, following which he took control of the clinic and began siphoning off her income.
According to her family, Mahdi also subjected her to months of physical abuse, drug-induced assaults, and withheld her passport, effectively trapping her in the country. In desperation, Priya is believed to have attempted to retrieve her passport by sedating Mahdi. But when a higher dose of the sedative was used, Mahdi died from an overdose. The incident led to Priya’s arrest and her subsequent conviction for murder.
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