SC Declines To Hear Plea Over ‘Unverified’ Public Statements On Kerala Nurse

Supreme Court of India

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a petition seeking restrictions on individuals making unverified public statements about the case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse facing the death penalty in Yemen for murder.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta questioned petitioner K A Paul on the need for further directions, noting that Attorney General R Venkataramani had already assured the court that only the Government of India would make official statements on the matter.

“What more do you want? Do you expect no one to speak to the media at all? The Attorney General has said the government will ensure that there are no briefings,” the bench observed, before dismissing the plea as withdrawn.

Petitioner’s Request

Paul’s petition sought a comprehensive media gag order, citing ongoing sensitive negotiations to secure Priya’s release and alleging that false or misleading statements were being circulated. The plea also urged the Centre to intensify diplomatic efforts with Yemen to commute Priya’s sentence to life imprisonment and to move a competent court for a time-bound media restraint on unauthorized disclosures.

Case Background

Priya, a 38-year-old nurse from Palakkad, Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017. She was sentenced to death in 2020, and her final appeal was rejected in 2023.

Court has previously been informed that Priya’s scheduled execution on July 16 was stayed and that there is no immediate threat to her life. On July 18, the Centre told the court that all diplomatic channels were being explored to ensure her safety.

Priya remains lodged in a Sanaa prison, the capital of war-torn Yemen, as India continues efforts to seek clemency.