V Ravi seeks Nepal help to reduce Indian's death sentence

New Delhi, Feb 21 (UNI) Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi has sought the intervention of the Nepal government in persuading the family of a Nepalese girl to grant pardon to an Indian who was sentenced to death by the Shari-at court in Kuwait in connection with the death of the girl.

The grant of pardon from the family of the victim is one way out for reducing the death sentence and commuting it to life , he said in a letter to Nepal Minister of Labour and Transport Management Ramesh Lekhak.

Recalling his recent discussion on the issue with the Nepal Minister during a recent meeting in Abu Dhabi, Mr Ravi said Indian national Shoukath Thikaseri was working as a cleaner in a hotel at Jehra Al Khasar in Kuwait. He had reportedly fell in love with a Nepalese girl Jamuna Thapa, who was working as a house maid. The girl had reportedly committed suicide when they were planning to get married.

The Shari-at Court in Kuwait had convicted Thikaseri and awarded death sentence to him.

Mr Ravi said the father of Thikaseri had pleaded that his son was innocent and had been unduly implicated in the case. He had contended that his son deserved to get a reprieve from the sentence.

The Minister requested Mr Lekhak "to intervene in the matter and help persuade the family of Jamuna to be magnanimous enough to grant pardon to Thikaseri, for which, the relatives of the accused may be willing to work for a compromise." UNI SH BDP RN1857