May 03, 2025 05:18 AM IST
Justice Sachin Datta directed the Indian mission in Indonesia to take steps to ensure the convicted Indian nationals are afforded adequate legal representation
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday told the ministry of external affairs (MEA) to pursue with their counterparts in Indonesia to provide legal assistance to three Indians on death row.
The court, which was hearing a petition filed by spouses of the three men, also asked the Indian mission in Indonesia to ensure that the three, accused in a drug related case, were allowed to speak to their family and spouses back home in India.
The court has also issued notice to the government and posted the matter for hearing on May 6. The Centre was represented by standing counsel Ashish Dixit who sought time to take instructions.
The three nationals – Raju Muthukumaran (38), Selvadurai Dinakaran (33) and Govindasamy Vimalkandhan (37), worked at ASL Shipyard and were detained by the Narcotics Department of the Indonesian government, on July 14, 2024 for illegally distributing Class I narcotics in the form of non-plants, such as crystal methamphetamine.
They were awarded death penalty by Tanjung Balai Karimun District Court, Indonesia on April 25.
Hearing a petition filed by their spouses, a bench of justice Sachin Datta said:“In the meantime, the Indian Consulate in Indonesia is directed to take requisite steps for the purpose of ensuring that the convicted Indian nationals are afforded adequate legal representation, and to render appropriate assistance to them for the purpose of pursuing appellate remedies; facilitate communication between the said convicted individuals and their families in India.”
It also directed MEA to pursue the matter at the “diplomatic level” with the Indonesian government, to ensure protection of the Indian nationals under applicable international conventions or bilateral agreement, if any.
The three women approached the court, saying they did not have the resources to appeal against the conviction before the appellate court, as their husbands are the sole breadwinners of the family.
