Indian traders safe in Shanghai, return to take time: MEA

The government on Thursday said the two Indian traders, who were mistreated in the Yiwu city of China, are now safe in Shanghai but their return to the country will have to wait till the litigation against them is completed.

"The traders are in Shanghai and Indian consulate officials are in touch with them. We do not want to disclose their location as they are in a state of shock... this is also a matter of private information," Syed Akbaruddin, on special duty, external publicity, Ministry of External Affairs, told the media.

He maintained that the family members of the traders, identified as Deepak Raheja and Shyam Sunder Agarwal, have been informed about their whereabouts and insisted that they are safe in Shanghai. However, their return to India will not be imminent as they are facing charges of non-payment and the like and unless these are sorted out, the traders will have to stay in China.

 "They are involved in a financial litigation which is on-going... The litigation has to run its course," Akbaruddin said, adding the standard norms and procedures have to be followed but the consulate continues to closely follow the developments and will render all possible help.

The two Indian traders were released on Wednesday after Indian consulate intervened and were taken to Shanghai. They had been held captive by locals in Yiwu, a trading hub of China, as their Yemeni boss has erred on payment of dues reportedly running into millions of dollars.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had discussed the issue with Chinese ambassador Zhang Yan here on Wednesday. After the two traders were released on Wednesday, Krishna had said he was "immensely pleased and satisfied".