Rs.8 crore blood money paid to secure release of 17 Indians on Sharjah death row

Dubai, July 27 (ANI): A hotelier on Wednesday paid Rs.eight crore (3.43 million Dirhams) to a representative of a Pakistan-based family, whose sole bread winner was murdered in Sharjah in January 2009 by 17 Indian expatriates, including 16 from Punjab and one from Haryana.

The payment of the blood money was made to Zafar Iqbal, who represented the family of murdered Pakistani expatriate Misri Nazir Khan. Ramzan, an attorney, representing the Khan's family, was also present at time of the delivery of the blood money in a Sharjah court of appeal.

The 17 Indian prisoners are now expected to be released from death row after the payment of the blood money by hotelier and chairman of the "Sarbat Dah Bhala", S.P. Singh Oberoi. Sarbat Dah Bhala is an organisation that has been at the forefront of a campaign to secure the release of the 17 Indian expatriates.

On recieving the blood money, Zafar Iqbal is said to have told the Sharjah court that he was waiving the death penalty on the imprisoned Indian expatriates aside as part of an out-of-court settlement.

The court is now expected to deliver a final judgment against the Indian inmates on September 12 this year. The court verdict is expected to deal with the other crimes committed by the accused and deliver a sentence of about three years. But, since the Indian expatriates have already stayed in prison for three years, they will come out of prison and in all probability be free by October this year.

According tp Oberoi, the Sharjah court has given a week to both parties to complete all formalities.

According to a Sharia provison, if the penalty is paid to the relatives of the murdered victims, the death sentence can be waived aside.

The 17 Indians (16 from Punjab and one from Haryana) were found gulty in March 2010 for a killing a Pakistani expatriate going by the name of Misri Nazir Khan in the Saaja Industrial Area of Sharjah in January 2009.

Oberoi informed that former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Khalid from pakistan extended their full support and cooperation to save the boys through a negotiated deal. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)