The father of an Indian woman on death row in Abu
Dhabi has approached the Delhi High Court, seeking to know her well-being.
In his petition, which is likely to come up for
hearing on Monday, Shabbir Khan -- a resident of Banda in Uttar Pradesh -- said
there was "profound uncertainty" with respect to his daughter
Shahzadi's condition, and his repeated applications to the Ministry of External
Affairs for clarification were "fruitless".
The plea further alleged that Shahzadi was
inadequately represented before the local courts in a case pertaining to the
alleged murder of her employer's four-month-old child and she was pressured
into "confessing", leading to the imposition of death penalty on July
31, 2023.
"On February 14, 2025, the petitioner's
daughter telephoned him from detention, informing him that she had been
relocated within the facility and prior to her potential execution, her final
wish was to speak with her parents," the petition said.
"The petitioner, with considerable effort,
submitted an application dated February 21, 2025, to the Ministry of External
Affairs, seeking to ascertain the current legal status of his daughter and
confirm whether she remains alive or has been executed," it added.