New Delhi: Over 56 per cent of Indian prisoners lodged in foreign jails are in the Gulf countries, government data presented in the Lok Sabha showed. As many as 8,437 Indian prisoners, including undertrials, are lodged in various jails around the world, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. The information came in as a written response from the Minister of State in the MEA, V Muraleedharan while replying to a question from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP Dr. M. P. Abdussamad inquiring about details of expatriate convicts and undertrials lodged in prisons in foreign countries.
As per the information shared by the MoS, a total of 8,437 Indian prisoners, including undertrials, are lodged in various jails around the world with the maximum lodged in Gulf countries with 4,795 Indian prisoners lodged there.
According to the details provided by the MoS, 1,966 Indian prisoners are lodged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) followed by 1,362 in Saudi Arabia, 682 in Qatar, 428 in Kuwait, 265 in Bahrain, and 92 in Oman. All of these countries are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Apart from this, 1,222 Indian prisoners are lodged in India's neighboring country Nepal, 606 in Malaysia, 237 in the United Kingdom (UK). 294 in the USA, 51 in Pakistan, 170 in China and others.
"As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign prisons at present is 8437. Country-wise list is given at Annexure. However, due to strong privacy laws prevailing in many countries, the local authorities do not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the disclosure of such information. Even countries which share information do not generally provide detailed information about the foreign nationals imprisoned," stated the Minister," stated Union Minister.
On Friday, five Indian merchant navy sailors who were in jail in Iran for four years returned home. They were apprehended in Iran in relation to a drug case. Even if a local court acquitted them in 2021, it took them two years to return to India.
