Today, the Supreme Court adjourned the PIL filed by Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council for diplomatic intervention to save the life of Nurse Nimisha Priya, for eight weeks after the Petitioner submitted that there was no urgency in the matter.

Nimisha Priya was working as a Nurse in Yemen for more than a decade and was sentenced to death for the murder of a citizen of Yemen. Earlier, on July 18, 2025, the Supreme Court said that the Government of India will decide the issue on its own merits.

The Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta adjourned the matter based on the submission of the Petitioner.


The Counsel appearing for the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, an organisation formed to assist Nimisha Priya and her family, submitted that the Court may list it after four weeks as there is no urgency at the moment.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court adjourned the matter to be listed after eight weeks.

Background

On July 14, 2025, the Supreme Court said that let the conversation be informal with regard to settling the blood money with the family of the deceased. "We don't want these communications to come in public...they may unsettle the matter...the options are here, the AG is already there, the Government is supporting, making all the efforts. So, let it be an informal communication. There isn't anything to brought on record", said the Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta.

A PIL was filed by Save Nimisha Priya – International Action Council, an organisation formed to assist Nimisha Priya and her family. Nimisha Priya was working as a Nurse in Yemen for more than a decade, however, her husband and minor daughter returned to India in 2014 due to civil war in Yemen.

Nimisha has been convicted for the murder of a citizen of Yemen, named Talal Abdo Mahdi. It is the case of the organisation that Mahdi had abused and harassed Nimisha Priya, forged documents to claim that she had been married to him and also seized her passport.

On the suggestion of warden of local Jail, Nimisha gave sedatives to Mahdi to retrieve her passport, however, due to overdose of drugs, Mahdi died. The trial court sentenced her to death and her appeals to the first appellate court and the Supreme Judicial Council of Yemen were dismissed. However, the option of 'blood money' was kept open by the first appeal court, wherein, Nimisha can gain pardon from the family of the deceased by paying blood money to the family in accordance Shariah Law.

Cause Title: Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council V. Union Of India And Anr (W.P.(C) No. 649/2025 PIL-W)

Justice Vikram NathJustice Sandeep Mehta

Pridhi Chopra

    Pridhi Chopra was earlier practicing as an Advocate in Delhi. She pursued B.A. (H) English from Gargi College, University of Delhi, and subsequently pursued a degree in Law.