New Delhi, March 3: The Union Ministry of External Affairs on Monday (March 3) informed the Delhi High Court that Shahzadi Khan, a 33-year-old caregiver from Banda, Uttar Pradesh, was executed in the UAE on February 15. She had been sentenced to death for the alleged homicide of an infant under her care.
Details About The Case
Khan travelled to Abu Dhabi on December 19, 2022, on a tourist visa and was later employed as a caretaker. In February 2023, the couple who hired her accused her of causing their infant son’s death, leading to her arrest.
Death Sentence
She was sentenced to death on July 31, 2023, a verdict upheld by an appellate court on February 28, 2024. She was lodged in Al Wathba Central Jail before her execution.
Her father Shabbir Khan had petitioned the court seeking confirmation of her legal status. The ministry, represented by Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, stated that all possible efforts were made to save her, including legal assistance. However, clemency proceedings were not initiated despite her father's appeal.
The petition also claimed that the infant had died in December 2022 following routine vaccinations, but the parents refused a postmortem. Instead, authorities obtained a purported confession video, which the family alleged was extracted under torture and abuse.
Last Rites On March 5
The Indian embassy is assisting the family with travel arrangements to Abu Dhabi for her last rites on March 5.
