Supreme Court dismisses gag order petition in Nimisha Priya case. The Government of India will be the sole source of media statements. The case concerns a death sentence in Yemen and diplomatic efforts.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking a gag order in the case involving Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse facing a death sentence in Yemen. The court delivered this decision after receiving assurance from Attorney General R. Venkataramani.
The Supreme Court clarified that only the Government of India can issue statements to the media or through any other institution regarding this case. No other individual or organization will be permitted to make statements on the matter.
Objective and Demand of the Petition
The petitioner, K.A. Paul, filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting a gag order to prevent unverified public statements and media reporting related to the Nimisha Priya case.
The petition also stated that instructions should be given to prevent any individual from making statements on this case without the permission of an authorized government agency. Additionally, it sought immediate diplomatic measures with Yemen to save Priya from the death penalty and commute her sentence to life imprisonment.
Assurance from the Attorney General
During the hearing in the Supreme Court, the Attorney General assured that the government would be the sole source of statements regarding this case and that no other individual would be allowed to make statements to the media.
The Court asked the petitioner, "What do you want? Do you want no one to say anything to the media?" The Attorney General ensured that press briefings would only be conducted through the government until the resolution of this sensitive matter. Based on this assurance, the Court dismissed the petition.
Sensitivity of the Case
The Nimisha Priya case is considered highly sensitive in both India and Yemen. Priya was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017. She was sentenced to death in 2020, and her final appeal was rejected in 2023. Currently, Priya is imprisoned in Sana, the capital of Yemen. Due to the sensitivity of this case, the Supreme Court decided that no inflammatory or false information should be disseminated in the media.
Nimisha Priya Foundation and Media Controversy
According to the petitioner, the Nimisha Priya Foundation issued false statements in the media and shared a fake bank account statement. This further complicated the situation.
The Foundation claimed that people should donate to this account. However, the Attorney General stated that this account was not authorized by the Government of India. Such misinformation could affect diplomatic negotiations and rescue efforts in the case.
Role of the Government
The Attorney General assured the Supreme Court that the Government of India is making all possible efforts to ensure Priya's safe release. Any press briefings or statements will be controlled solely by the government.
K.A. Paul stated that he is communicating with the deceased's family and both governments. The right to make statements in the media will only be held by authorized individuals.
Decision of the Supreme Court
The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, while dismissing the petition, stated that the Government of India will take responsibility for ensuring that no further statements are made in the case. The Court clarified that the gag order requested in the petition was not necessary because the Attorney General had provided sufficient assurance.
