No embassy can be part of talks to pay blood money: Delhi HC

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to direct the involvement of the central government in the payment of ‘blood money’ in connection with the death sentence awarded to a Kerala woman in a murder case in Yemen and said that no embassy can be part of negotiations to pay blood money.

Justice Yashwant Varma, who was hearing a petition by an organisation seeking Centre’s intervention to save the life of the Indian citizen -- Nimisha Priya, said the court cannot ask the government of India to countenance such a payment and requested the authorities to facilitate the appropriate legal action against the conviction of the woman.

The petitioner, ‘Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council’, sought a direction to the Centre to “facilitate diplomatic interventions as well as negotiations with the family of victim on behalf of Nimisha Priya to save her life by paying blood money in accordance with the law of the land in a time bound manner”.

Blood money refers to the compensation paid by an offender or his kin to the family of the victim. “No embassy can be part of negotiations to pay blood money. You can do it personally, privately,” the court stated. “In so far as the first relief is concerned, the court cannot command the union to be a party to the negotiations which the family of the convict proposes to initiate,” it opined.

Lawyer Subhash Chandran KR, appearing for the petitioner said the petitioner will pay the blood money and negotiate with the tribe of the victim but the assistance of the government was needed amid the present political situation in Yemen.