The father of UP woman Shahzadi Khan, who is facing a death sentence in the UAE, approached the Delhi High Court on Saturday demanding the intervention of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He has requested the court to direct MEA and authorities to issue a bulletin and procure exact information regarding the current legal status and well-being of his daughter.
According to ANI report, the 33-year-old woman, resident of Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, has been facing execution in Abu Dhabi, UAE for the death of a child who was under her care. She has been lodged in Abu Dhabi jail.
A petition filed through advocate Ali Md Maaz detailed that in December 2021, Shabbir Khan’s daughter obtained a visa and traveled to Abu Dhabi, with a layover in Dubai. In August 2022, she was employed as a caregiver for her employer’s newborn son. On December 7, 2022, the infant received routine vaccinations but tragically passed away that same evening.
While the hospital recommended a postmortem examination, the child’s parents declined and signed a consent letter waiving further investigation, according to the plea.
Shabbir’s Daughter Confesses To Infant’s Death
The petition further stated that in February 2023, a video allegedly showed Shabbir’s daughter confessing to the infant’s death—an admission she claims was coerced through torture and abuse by her employer and their family. She was taken into custody by Abu Dhabi police on February 10, 2023, and later, on July 31, 2023, was sentenced to death for the child’s death.
Although she was provided legal assistance by the Indian Embassy, the plea claims she was pressured into confessing and denied proper legal representation. Her appeal, filed in September 2023, was dismissed, and on February 28, 2024, her death sentence was upheld.
After the verdict, Shabbir Khan initiated clemency proceedings through the Indian Embassy but received a response regarding an unrelated case. In May 2024, he filed a fresh mercy petition. On July 11, 2024, he submitted another petition to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi but received no reply.
On February 14, 2025, his daughter called from prison, hinting at an impending execution. In response, Shabbir Khan formally reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs on February 20, 2025, requesting an inquiry into her legal status and well-being but has yet to receive any updates.
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