Shahzadi Khan, 33, lured to Abu Dhabi in 2021 on a tourist visa on the promise of a better life and treatment for disfiguring burn injuries she received years ago, trafficked as a bonded worker to a couple, accused of killing their infant child in 2022, and sentenced to death in July 2023, was executed on February 15 this year.
Details of her death were provided by the Union ministry of external affairs to the Delhi high court, which was hearing a plea by Khan’s father Shabbir Khan seeking directions to the Centre and the embassy to ascertain his daughter’s legal status
Khan and her father consistently maintained her innocence, claiming that the child under her care was administered a vaccine earlier on the day of its death.
The ministry, represented by additional solicitor general (ASG) Chetan Sharma submitted before a bench of justice Sachin Datta, that the ministry and the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi would render assistance for travel of her family members to Abu Dhabi to perform the last rites to be held on March 5.
The law officer further submitted that the ministry did everything possible to save Khan, including appointing a lawyer to represent her. Taking note of the contention, the court disposed of the petition filed by Shabbir Khan.
“It’s very unfortunate. She’s no more. I’ll record that,” justice Datta remarked.
In his petition before the court, Shabbir Khan asserted that pursuant to a telephonic communication from his daughter on February 14 about an intra-facility transfer and imminent execution, he filed a formal request with the foreign ministry seeking information on Khan’s legal status on February 20, and received no response.
Khan’s death penalty was upheld in February 2024. Shabbir Khan said in the petition that he sought clemency proceedings, but to no avail.
Shabbir, in an interaction with a news agency, said his daughter was not given justice. “I tried a lot with the Indian government [to reverse the judgment]. I had been running around since last year. We did not have the money to go there [Abu Dhabi]. The lawyers were expensive and the government did not support us. They hanged her on February 15 and there was no news from MEA. I had a number on which I called and the woman who spoke to me told me my daughter was no more,” he said.
MEA said that the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi provided all possible legal assistance to Shahzadi, including sending mercy petitions and pardon requests to the government of the UAE. “The UAE authorities informed the Indian embassy on February 28 that the sentence of Shahzadi was carried out in accordance with local laws,” the ministry said, adding that Shahzadi’s family was informed of the matter.
On February 14, Shabbir received an emotional call from his daughter, which would be their last. “This is my last call to you,” Shahzadi told him. “A captain visited me today, and I’ve been isolated. He told me I have no time left.” Shabbir’s said, recalling the conversation from Al Batwa prison.
