Secure Saudi court’s order on Indian national’s conviction: HC tells Union govt

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday directed the Union government to secure a copy of the judgment by a Saudi Arabian court convicting Indian national Shailesh Kumar. Justice Krishna S Dixit, who is hearing a petition by Kumar’s wife alleging that the local police’s delay in investigation led to her husband’s conviction in a foreign court, said that securing the judgment copy will be helpful in submitting a clemency petition. Upset with the slow response to its earlier directions, the HC said, “When a citizen of this country is suffering abroad, the authorities have to show due seriousness and secure justice for him.” Shailesh, who hails from Mangaluru, has been convicted and imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, where he was working, for alleged derogatory posts against the King of Saudi Arabia and Islam.

His wife Kavitha has petitioned the high court, claiming that the posts dated February 12 and 13, 2020 were made from a fake profile on Facebook and the local police had failed to provide the proof to Saudi Arabian authorities. The local police had blamed Facebook for not cooperating with the investigation.