MEA Busts Fake Claims About Govt Seeking Funds For Nimisha Priya Case

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday dismissed as ‘fake’ the social media claims that the Government of India is seeking monetary contributions in the Nimisha Priya case, where the Indian nurse faces the death penalty in Yemen.

The MEA’s official FactCheck handle on X shared a screenshot of a post that falsely urged people to deposit ₹8.3 crore into a government-designated account to ‘save Nimisha Priya’.

“We have seen claims being made on social media seeking monetary contributions into a GoI designated bank account in the Nimisha Priya case. This is a fake claim,” the MEA clarified in its post.

Background: Nurse Facing Death Penalty in Yemen

A Yemeni court convicted Nimisha Priya, who moved to Yemen in 2008 as a nurse before starting her clinic, of murdering her former business partner, Talal Abdo Mehdi, in 2017.

Reports state she allegedly administered sedatives to retrieve her confiscated passport, but the act proved fatal. Authorities arrested her while she tried to flee, and a Yemeni court convicted her of murder in 2018.

In 2020, a Yemeni court handed her the death sentence, which the Supreme Judicial Council upheld in November 2023. However, the court allowed the possibility of clemency through ‘blood money’, a Sharia law practice that permits compensation to the victim’s family in exchange for forgiveness.

Priya was scheduled to be executed on July 13, 2024, but the sentence was deferred following multi-pronged diplomatic negotiations.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently described the matter as ‘sensitive and complex’. He stressed that the Government of India has been offering ‘all possible assistance’ and remains in close touch with some friendly governments on the issue.

MEA Urges Caution Against Speculation

Jaiswal urged citizens and media outlets to avoid speculation and misinformation, noting that inaccurate reporting could harm the ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“This is a sensitive matter. We continue to closely follow it and extend assistance. Reports suggesting new developments are incorrect. Please wait for official updates,” he said.

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