SC refuses to hear plea over 'unverified' public statements on Kerala nurse

New Delhi | The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a plea seeking directions to restrain those making "unverified public statements" about the case of Indian nurse and murder accused Nimisha Priya who is on death row in Yemen.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta told petitioner K A Paul about Attorney General R Venkataramani having assured only the government speaking on the matter and no one else.

"What do you want? Do you want nobody should come out and say anything to media? Attorney general has said that government of India will ensure nobody briefs media. What else you want?" the bench asked.

Venkataramani said it was a "very sensitive matter" and he would ensure no media briefings took place till it concluded.

The matter was dismissed as withdrawn.

Paul said Priya had sought legal intervention to enforce a complete media gag order in the case.

He said at present, delicate negotiations were going on in the matter and some individuals were making false statements.

The plea sought a direction to the Centre to take immediate, coordinated diplomatic measures with Yemen to secure commutation of the death penalty into life imprisonment.

Besides other directives, it also sought a direction to the authorities concerned to move a competent court for a comprehensive, time-bound media gag order restraining all persons and others from publishing any unverified contents or statements without prior confirmation from authorised government agency involved in negotiations.

On August 14, the top court was informed by the counsel for the petitioner organisation that there was "no immediate threat" to Priya.

The apex court was then hearing a separate plea seeking a direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to save the 38-year-old nurse from Palakkad in Kerala who was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017.

The top court was apprised last month that Priya's execution, which was scheduled for July 16, had been stayed.

On July 18, the Centre informed the top court that efforts were on and the government was trying everything possible to ensure Priya came out safely.

Priya was convicted in 2017, sentenced to death in 2020 and her final appeal was rejected in 2023.

She is imprisoned in a jail in the Yemen capital Sana'a.