Death row Indians get 34 days to reach settlement

Seventeen Indians on death row for the murder of a Pakistani national in Sharjah have been granted over a month's time by a United Arab Emirates appeals court to reach a blood money settlement with the victim's family.

Following stalled negotiations over blood money, the Sharjah court of appeal adjourned the case again and the next hearing is scheduled to be held on July 20. While ordering the 34-day adjournment on Thursday, the judge asked the two parties to reach a compromise.

On March 28, the Sharjah court of first instance had handed down death sentence to the 17 Indian nationals, who were accused of killing a Pakistani in January 2009 in a bootlegging rivalry.

"I am making arrangements to send someone to Pakistan to meet the victim's family. Once the family agrees to pardon or accept blood money, the matter can be settled," SP Singh Oberoi, local businessman and founder president of the Indian Punjabi Society who has been pursuing the case on behalf of the Indians, told PTI.

"I had offered a sum of Pakistani Rs 1 crore to settle the matter during the last hearing. I am standing by that offer and hope the matter will be settled as soon as possible," Oberoi said.

Bindu Suresh Chettur, a lawyer representing the Indians in the case, said some individuals have been trying to spread false rumour with regard to blood money.

Friday's hearing was the 14th in the case.