On Tuesday, the High Court of Delhi refused to ask the Central Govt to negotiate the payment of blood money to save Nimisha Priya, a Kerala woman on death row in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni national.

A bench of acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi & Justice Navin Chawla said there was no merit in the appeal by the 'Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council' against the single Judge's order refusing to order the Centre in this regard.

However, the single Judge had asked the Centre to pursue legal remedies against the conviction in Yemen, provide consular assistance & interpreters as well as facilitate the travel of the convict's family.

But the Judge had declined to involve the Centre in the payment of blood money in connection with the death sentence awarded to the woman & had said that no embassy can be part of such negotiations.

The bench told the foundation that "The single judge has granted the relief that could have been given. What do you have in mind? You should go & negotiate. Who is stopping you".

"It is for the appellant to now proceed to Yemen & undertake negotiations with the family of the victim. We do not find any merit in the appeal," the court said. For its part, the Centre submitted that while the authorities would initiate all legal actions in relation to the conviction & have not denied consular access, the government of India would not get into negotiations for blood money.

The lawyer appearing for the appellant said he didn't want the Central Govt to get involved in the negotiations but the authorities should extend all "support" to the cause. "The stand of the appellant is rather confused. He desires that the Union of India should negotiate with the family of the deceased victim to offer blood money. The stand of the Union is clear. No direction can be issued in this regard," the bench said.

Priya was accused of murdering Talal Abdo Mahdi in July 2017 after she injected him with sedatives to get her passport, which was in his possession. However, he died of an overdose.

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