Dubai: A Sharjah court has waived the death sentence awarded to eight Indian youths for the murder of a Pakistani national after a Dubai-based Indian hotelier paid blood money to the family of the victim on their behalf.
The murder took place on July 11, 2009 following which 10 men, eight Indians -- all from Pubjab -- and two Pakistanis, were arrested.
The death penalty of two Pakistanis have also been waived off after Dubai-based hotelier SP Singh Oberoi paid
blood money.
"Death penalty has been waived off for all the 10
accused, eight Indians and two Pakistanis. They have to serve
three years of imprisonment of which they have already
completed 21 months. So they will be free in another six
months and will be deported directly to their home countries,"
Oberoi told PTI following the verdict yesterday.
Several such cases involving Punjabi youths embroiled
in bootlegging turf battle have come to light in recent times.
The latest case involved murder of Pakistani national
Mumtaz Yousuf, who hailed from Faislabad.
The Indians who were arrested are: Kuldip Singh,
Sachin Kumar Sharma, Rakesh Kumar, Sukhpal Singh, Hardev
Singh, Charanjeet, Amarjeet Singh and Rashwinder Pal.
Oberoi said that on November 24, 2009 he, alongside the victim's father, appeared in court and registered a compromise statement.
"The honorable Judge accepted our request and on
February 1 this year I paid the blood money to Mohd Yousuf in
court in the presence of the jury. I submitted the required
documents in the court on February 6 following which the case
was closed and February 28 was fixed as the judgment date.
However, this date was then postponed to March 27 (Sunday)
when the verdict was finally delivered," he said.
The Pakistanis who will be released include Mohammed
Ansar Chaudhary and Shahid Hussain Ifthreen Rana from Multan
Burewal.
Oberoi said there are several such cases pending and
involves over 60 young men from Punjab.
This case is, however, different from the case involving 17 Indians who were convicted of murder and have
filed an appeal.
PTI
First Published: Monday, March 28, 2011, 10:01