Gurdip Singh not among 4 drug convicts executed in Indonesia, says Sushma Swaraj

Gurdip was headed to New Zealand for employment but was cheated by his agent and landed in Indonesia
While Gurdip had luck on his side, this time, the review petitions of the other four were denied
India is trying to get leniency for him, whereas the officials in Jakarta are making an effort to ensure that all the sources of help are exhausted before the execution

Gurdip Singh a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab; with 13 others was arrested at Soekarno Hatta Airport on August 29, 2004, for the charges of drug trafficking. At the hearing of this case in the Tangerang Court, the prosecutor requested for a 20 years imprisonment but was awarded a death sentence in February 2005 instead.

Follow NewsGram on Twitter

India is trying to get leniency for him, whereas the officials in Jakarta are making an effort to ensure that all the sources of help are exhausted before the execution. The execution took place on Thursday, July 28, reported indiatoday.in.

Sushma Swaraj. Image source: huffingtonpost.in

But Indian Ambassador in Indonesia informed the External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj that Gurdip who's execution was fixed for Thursday night did not happen. Whereas, the other four convicts were executed.

According to the indiatoday.in report, the legal representative of Gurdip Singh, Afdhal Muhammad was planning to file for a Presidential clemency, under the Indonesian law, before it's President. The embassy has also stepped in and sent a verbal note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia for the same.

Follow NewsGram on Facebook

His family is really tensed but also thanked the government for its efforts. His wife said she spoke to him some time back and he seemed to be ok but wanted to return home. She and her family appeal to the government to further help him out and bring him back to the country. His wife also said that Gurdip was headed to New Zealand for employment but was cheated by his agent and landed in Indonesia. According to her, he was made to do the crime as they did not give him his passport, reported HT.

While Gurdip had luck on his side, this time, the review petitions of the other four were denied. Two Nigerians, one Senegalese and an Indonesian were executed on Thursday. Pakistan is also in constant talk with the Indonesian officials to review the case of Zulfiqar who is a Pakistani National convicted for the same crime.

According to the legal team of one of the Nigerians, Humphrey Jefferson Ejike; the decision was not fair. They also added further that their client had been tortured which had proof and this was a sign of racism.

– prepared by Rasika Iyer of NewsGram. Twitter: @Rasikaiyer93

ALSO READ:

Indonesia