India Extends Aid to Nationals Facing Indonesian Death Penalty

The Indian government has informed the Delhi High Court of its active involvement in assisting three citizens sentenced to death in Indonesia. The Consulate General of India in Indonesia has granted consular access and filed an Intent to Appeal on their behalf on May 2, 2025. The trio, currently detained, received a visit from a relative and Vice Consul, CGI Medan. Legal representation is being sought as they've decided not to retain their previous attorney.

Advocate Ashish Dixit, representing the government, highlighted that the individuals have seven days to file a formal appeal after the Intent to Appeal. The Embassy in Jakarta and CGI Medan are engaged in finding a suitable lawyer. Justice Sachin Datta acknowledged the efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs and scheduled a follow-up on August 4, 2025.

The case involves the death penalty sentence imposed by an Indonesian court on Raju Muthukumaran, Selvadurai Dinakaran, and Govindasamy Vimalkandhan over narcotics charges. Their families claim financial incapability to fund an appellate process. The court instructed Indian authorities to foster proper legal aid and ensure communication between the jailed individuals and their families, alongside diplomatic engagement to uphold their rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)