Jakarta: Indian convict Gurdip Singh, who was found guilty by Indonesian authorities for trying to smuggle drugs into the country, was spared of being executed at the last minute on Friday.
Four other drug convicts including two Nigerians, one Senegalese and one Indonesian were on Friday executed for the crime
India was in touch with the Indonesian leadership to get clemency for Gurdip Singh. Indian embassy officials in Jakarta were trying to ensure that all legal recourse is exhausted before the death penalty is carried out against Singh.
"Indian Ambassador in Indonesia has informed me that Gurdip Singh whose execution was fixed for last night, has not been executed," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Friday.
"Afdhal Muhammad, the legal representative of Gurdip Singh was of the view that he can file for presidential clemency under the relevant law before the President of the Republic of Indonesia," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in his weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday.
Singh was arrested on August 29, 2004, at the Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta on charges of drug trafficking, for attempting to carry 300 grams of heroin.
The Tangerang Court awarded him capital punishment in February 2005 against the prosecutors' request for 20 years imprisonment.
Swarup said that Singh's appeal against the death penalty was turned down by the High Court of Banten in May 2005.
Pakistan was also in touch with top officials in Indonesia to halt the imminent execution of Pakistani national Zulfiqar Ali for drug smuggling.
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