M A I N   N E W S

UAE Death Verdict
Court says no to Indian interpreter
Prabhjot Singh in dubai
Tribune news service

Technicalities led to yet another adjournment in the Mishri Khan murder case in which 17 Indian youths are facing death sentence. The Appeal Sharia Court in Sharjah adjourned the case till September 1 after refusing to accept Punjabi-Arabi interpreter provided by the Indian Consulate. The court also wanted a proper power of attorney from the kin of the deceased.

The 20-minute hearing saw the courtroom packed to capacity. There was also a large representation from overseas Indian community besides a large number of the local and international mediapersons.

The proceedings were held under tight security cover as an armed guard stood in the courtroom throughout, while another one was manning the gate.

Not only members of the local Singh Sabha (of Sharjah) but also a three-member delegation from Leicester (UK), led by former MP Paramjit Singh Gill, had come specially to watch the proceedings. A couple of leading Indian businessmen, including Sudesh Aggarwal, also remained present throughout the proceedings.

The case has generated so much of interest worldwide that more than three hours after the court proceedings had ended, those who had come to witness the progress in the case, remained engaged in discussion as what should be done. “It is only the tip of the iceberg. Outcome of such cases may have deep and serious consequences,” remarked Paramjit Singh Gill.

Many in the Indian community, especially relatives of the boys facing the death sentence, were disappointed, as the convicts were not produced before the court.

Two earlier hearing in May and June had also been adjourned for want of qualified translator-cum-interpretor. The court ruled that interpreter from any of the two parties in the case or their consulates would not be acceptable.

Mohammad Salman, Muna Juma and Bindu S. Chettur appeared on behalf of Indian boys and presented Kulwinder Singh, a Dubai-based Punjabi, who claimed he could translate/interpret from Punjabi to Arabi and English in the court. The court, however, wanted the prosecution to organise the translator-cum-interpretor from the Ministry of Justice.

Kulwinder Singh had come with Anshul Sharma, Consul Visa in the Indian Consulate here.

Mohammed Ramzan and Syed Mushtaq Ahmed, who turned up for deceased Mishri Khan, were asked by the court if they had the power of attorney to represent eh family of the deceased. Mohamed Ramzan had a power of attorney drawn in the name of Zulfiqar Khan, brother of the deceased who has been deported. It was not acceptable to the court.

Dharmendra Singh, brother of one of the convicts Daljit Singh from Raikot in Ludhiana district, and Jasbir Singh, a cousin of another convict Arvinder Singh of Gurdaspur, too had turned up. They claimed that Daljit and Arvinder were innocent and had nothing to do with the crime.

“In fact, Arvinder Singh had his visa cancelled a few days before the actual incident and was planning to return to India. He was picked up the police and released after a day. Then he was again taken into custody and was released after a weeks' interrogation,” claims Jasbir Singh.

He was taken in custody from the airport as he was flying to India. He was detained, as he had not obtained the clearance certificate from the authorities concerned. Both Daljit and Arvinder had regular work visas and had gone for their duties on the day incident took place, their relatives claimed.

Mohammed Mushtaq Ahmed said that it was an “unfortunate incident”.

“I was one of the four persons, who were attacked by the Indians. In fact, the Indian boys were fighting one of their fellow countrymen when we intervened and asked them the cause of their fight. Since they were allegedly drunk, they attacked us. While Mishri Khan died, his brother Mohammed Nwaz , me and my brother Shahhid Iqbal were seriously injured and hospitalised,” said Ahmed.

Mushtaq says he has been out of work for 18 months because of crippling injuries he received in the attack. He, however, maintains that he was not able to identify any of the assailants because it was pitch dark.

Mohammed Ramzan, who had been a childhood friend and neighbour of Mishri Khan, has just returned from Pakistan saying that no one has approached the bereaved family from any compromise. He maintains that one of the brothers or father of Mishri Khan can come in case there is a possibility of a compromise.