Dubai: Two Indians, who were facing death
sentence in the UAE for killing a compatriot, are set to be
released this month as their death penalty was commuted by a
Sharjah Sharia court after Rs eight lakh was paid in blood
money to the family of the victim.
The two youths from Punjab had been awarded death
sentence in Sharjah for bootlegging and murdering another
Indian from Andhra Pradesh.
Talwinder Singh from Kapurthala and Paramjiit Singh from
Gurdaspur were in prison since 2009 for murdering Chinna
Ganganna Chepuri from Hyderabad. The case was being heard at a
Sharia court in Sharjah.
"We have paid blood money, which alongside other
expenses, have cost around Rs 10 lakhs. Their death penalties
have been waived and they will now only get three years of
jail, which they have almost served," S P Singh Oberoi, a
local businessman and founder president of Indian Punjabi
Society said.
Oberoi said the verdict was delivered on Tuesday after a
pardon letter was signed by the family of the victim.
"It will take around a week to 10 days for the two
Punjabis to be released," Oberoi, who has been making efforts
to get several of such individuals released, said.
Oberoi had paid Rs eight lakh as 'diya' or blood money to
the family of Chepuri last month.
Earlier, the hotelier was instrumental in securing the
release of 17 Indians, who were awarded death penalty for
killing a Pakistani in Sharjah. Oberoi had helped raise blood
money for the Indians.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 02, 2011, 12:45