MEA rejects claims that ‘Grand Mufti from Kerala’ played a crucial role in halting Nimisha Priya’s execution in Yemen: Read how media hailed the cleric for work done by Indian govt
The execution of Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya was postponed by Yemeni authorities, informed the sources of Indian authorities on Tuesday, July 15. She narrowly escaped execution, which was originally scheduled for July 16. She has been sentenced to death for allegedly murdering her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdol Mehdi.
While the Indian government has made immense efforts to fight with this sensitive case, some media outlets and opposition leaders have claimed the intervention of the “Grand Mufti from Kerala” behind the postponement of the execution. It was claimed in multiple media reports that Grand Mufti Sheikh Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar held talks with religious authorities in Yemen and ensured that the execution was postponed.
A statement issued by Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar said that Grand Mufti Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad was approached by Puthuppally MLA Chandy Oommen to intervene in the matter, after which he contacted globally renowned Sufi scholar Habib Umar bin Hafeez. As per the statement, Habib’s office then contacted the North Yemeni authorities and the victim’s family, after which the decision was taken to postpone the execution.
However, now the Indian government has denied any such intervention by the cleric, saying that the postponement is the result of diplomatic efforts of the govt.
The Indian government’s refusal of any information on intervention
During a press briefing on Thursday, July 17, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, addressed the current scenario regarding the Nimisha Priya case. He stated that this is a very sensitive matter, and the Government of India has been offering all possible assistance in the case. Asserting to this, he continued by saying that a lawyer has been appointed to assist the family in every possible way by providing legal support.
Jaiswal assured that regular consular visits are being carried out by her family, and the government is in touch with local authorities as well as the family to resolve the issue. “This included concerted efforts in the recent few days to seek more time for the family of Miss Nimisha Priya to reach a mutually agreeable solution with the other party. The local authorities in Yemen have postponed carrying out her sentence that was scheduled for July 16, which you’re well aware of,” he said.
Jaiswal informed the media that the MEA continues to closely follow the matter and provide all possible assistance in the case. “We are also in touch with some friendly governments in this regard,” he added, indicating India’s continuous effort to seek help from other Islamic countries in the Gulf to solve the case.
When questioned about the MEA’s reaction to the report of a cleric from Kerala named Shri Kanthapuram AP Abubakr Musaliar, who is said to have played a big role in the matter, he simply responded, “I have no information to share on this account.” His statement reflects the rejection of false claims made by the media regarding the intervention of the “Grand Mufti from Kerala” in halting Nimisha Priya’s execution in Yemen.
Congress and other media’s claims
Over the past few days, it has been widely covered by some media outlets regarding the role of the “Grand Mufti of India” in postponing the execution of Priya. According to PTI, the turning point behind this could be the intervention of Sunni Muslim leader Musliyar, also known as the “Grand Mufti of India.” Kanthapuram was reportedly part of the last-minute efforts to halt the execution of Priya. The Sunni Muslim leader had earlier held talks with religious authorities in Yemen.
Headline in HT
According to ANI, Kanthapuram stated, “Islam has another law. If the murderer is sentenced to death, the family of the victim has the right to pardon. I don’t know who this family is, but from a long distance, I contacted the responsible scholars in Yemen. They would do what they could. They have officially informed us and sent a document stating that the date of execution has been postponed, which will help facilitate the ongoing discussions.” In fact, the Kerala media also claimed that Kanthapuram is a key figure who is representing and currently in touch with the family of the victim.
In a press statement on Tuesday, July 15, Abubakr announced that the scheduled execution had been officially postponed following his humanitarian intervention. It was claimed that the initiative began after he was approached by Congress MLA Chandy Oommen to help in the Nimisha Priya execution case. The statement highlights that it was due to a deep sense of national responsibility and humanitarian concern that he decided to act upon this request.
Mint report mentions Congress leader’s role in contacting the Mufti
Reading the media headlines, one would think that it was the Mufti from Kerala who halted the execution in Yemen.
Who is Kanthapuram A.P. Abubakr Musliyar?
Abubakr, officially known as Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, is a prominent Muslim cleric and a key figure in the community. He was elected the “Grand Mufti of India” in February 2019 by the All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Islam, a national body of Sunni clerics. Musliyar was born in Kanthapuram, Kozhikode, Kerala, and has gained national prominence through his long-standing leadership in Islamic education, social welfare, and public discourse.
He holds the baton of the “Grand Mufti of India” and has become one of the few scholars from South India to hold the post.
In the case of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who was accused of murdering her Yemeni business partner, Talal Abdol Mehdi, in July 2017, Musliyar claimed to have played a crucial role by intervening in the matter to help settle the issue.
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