Legal proceedings initiated in Saudi Arabia, burial site located, MEA informs Delhi HC on repatriation of Hindu man's remains

The Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court during the hearing of a petition regarding the repatriation of the mortal remains of a Hindu man who was wrongly buried in Saudi Arabia, that the legal proceedings have been initiated in Saudi Arabia and the burial site of the Hindu man has also been located by the Saudi Arabian authorities.

By Sushil Batra The Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court during the hearing of a petition regarding the repatriation of the mortal remains of a Hindu man who was wrongly buried in Saudi Arabia, that the legal proceedings have been initiated in Saudi Arabia and the burial site of the Hindu man has also been located by the Saudi Arabian authorities.

The submissions of Vishnu Sharma, Director, Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division of the MEA came today after he re-appeared in person before the court and apprised it that legal proceedings have been initiated in Saudi Arabia and that the coordinates of the burial site have been ascertained. He also said that Indian authorities are in touch with Saudi authorities regarding the matter and making all efforts. The bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh on Thursday also appointed Advocate Farukh Khan, amicus curiae (one who assists the court by furnishing information or advice regarding questions of law or fact) in the matter and slated the case for further hearing on April 29, 2021.

The bench also directed that the interim compensation awarded to the deceased family shall be paid in at the earliest, after Advocate Subhash Chandran (petitioner's lawyer) submitted that the interim compensation awarded earlier has not been paid to the family. Sharma further informed the court that the Indian officials met with the officials of Saudi Arabia including the Governor of Jizan province. He further submitted that the Indian Consulate in Jeddah has received the Power of Attorney of the Petitioner and filed a case before the concerned Saudi Court.

Earlier, MEA submitted that the Indian mission in Saudi Arabia had not given the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for local burial, death certificate was translated by the employer, not by the Indian mission and burial has taken place in a non-Muslim graveyard. The MEA official also informed the court that they received Rs 4.65 lakh as compensation from the employer and the cheque will be handed over to the family. Advocate Subhash Chandran, who appeared for the deceased earlier had also submitted that Sanjeev Kumar worked 23 years in Saudi Arabia and as per the information received from the colleagues of the deceased, his family is entitled to approximately Rs 30-40 lakhs as end of service benefits, insurance etc. Only the Indian mission can verify the details and help the family in getting them.

According to the petition, the woman's husband named Sanjeev Kumar, an Indian citizen passed away on January 24 this year at his workplace in Saudi Arabia. Sanjeev Kumar, who worked in Saudi Arabia for 23 years died due to diabetes, hypertension and cardiac arrest and the mortal remains were kept in Beesh General Hospital, Jizan, Saudi Arabia. (ANI)

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