Nimisha Priya case: Death sentence in Yemen not overturned? Govt says information 'inaccurate'

NEW DELHI: Nimisha Priya 's death sentence in Yemen has not been overturned, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday citing sources.

"Information being shared by certain individuals on the Nimisha Priya case is inaccurate, "sources told ANI.

Earlier, Indian Grand Mufti's office had said that the death sentence has been overturned after high-level meeting held in Sanaa.

"The death sentence of Nimisha Priya, which was previously suspended, has been overturned," the statement read.

"A high-level meeting held in Sanaa decided to completely cancel the death sentence that was temporarily suspended earlier," it added.

37-year-old nurse from Kerala, Nimisha moved to Yemen for work and later partnered with a local man, Talal Abdo Mahdi, to set up a clinic in 2015 — a legal workaround since foreigners cannot own businesses there. But what started as a professional arrangement soon turned sinister.

Mahdi allegedly manipulated a wedding photograph taken during a trip to India to falsely claim he was married to Nimisha, seized control of the clinic, and began extorting her monthly earnings.

Her family alleges that he subjected her to repeated abuse, including physical torture, drug-induced assaults, and confiscation of her passport to prevent her from escaping Yemen. After approaching police and being jailed briefly instead of receiving protection, Nimisha allegedly attempted to sedate Mahdi to retrieve her passport. When a stronger dose was used, Mahdi died due to overdose — leading to Nimisha’s arrest and eventual conviction for murder.

(This is a developing story)