Qatar court sets aside Mumbai couple's conviction in drug case

They were subsequently arrested for carryinghashish in their luggage.However, the couple challenged their conviction,saying they had been unaware of the contents of the saidpackage and that they had been tricked by Shareeqs aunt intocarrying the drug.The Court of Cassation noted that an appellate courtsorder of the couples conviction was defective and worth forchallenge as it did not take into account their defence.The verdict hasnt replied for the defence supportedwith the documents as they hadnt criminal intent as they werenot knowing that the captured matters as narcotics, said theverdict of the Court of Cassation.They were cheated by one of their relatives.

In a relief to a couple fromMumbai, convicted in Qatar to 10 years' imprisonment in a drugtrafficking case, the highest court in Qatar has set asidetheir conviction and ordered a review of the case.

The judgement was pronounced last month by Qatar'sCourt of Cassation following a hearing.

As per the court, Mohammad Shareeq (30) and his wifeOniba Qureshi were arrested in July 2019 from the HamadInternational Airport in Doha for carrying 4.1 kg of hashishin their luggage.

The couple was subsequently convicted for the offenceand has since been in prison.

Qureshi was pregnant at the time of leaving for Qatarand gave birth to her daughter while in prison.

According to the couple's plea in the highest court,they had gone to Qatar on a trip sponsored by Shareeq's aunt,who allegedly gave them a drug packet, falsely claiming itcontained tobacco to be delivered to a friend in Qatar.

At the Doha airport, they were stopped and searched bythe authorities. They were subsequently arrested for carryinghashish in their luggage.

However, the couple challenged their conviction,saying they had been unaware of the contents of the saidpackage and that they had been tricked by Shareeq's aunt intocarrying the drug.

The Court of Cassation noted that an appellate court'sorder of the couple's conviction was ''defective and worth forchallenge'' as it did not take into account their defence.

''The verdict hasn't replied for the defence supportedwith the documents as they hadn't criminal intent as they werenot knowing that the captured matters as narcotics,'' said theverdict of the Court of Cassation.

''They were cheated by one of their relatives. Thismakes the verdict defective and worth for challenge,'' theorder said.

The court sent the case back to the appeal court whereit will be reviewed by a new bench.