3 Indians sentenced to death in Indonesia: Delhi HC directs consulate, MEA to act

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday directed the Indian Consulate in Indonesia to take urgent steps to ensure proper legal representation and assistance for three Indian nationals sentenced to death by an Indonesian court.
The court also instructed the consulate to help facilitate communication between the convicted men and their families in India
The directions came in response to a petition filed by the wives of the three men -- Raju Muthukumaran, Selvadurai Dinakaran, and Govindasamy Vimalkandhan, who were sentenced to death on April 25, 2025, by the Tanjung Balai Karimun district court for narcotics-related offences.
The petitioners claim that the men, who were working at a shipyard in Indonesia at the time of their arrest, are the sole earners for their families and lack the financial means to pursue an appeal.
Justice Sachin Datta, hearing the matter, asked the ministry of external affairs (MEA) to diplomatically engage with the Indonesian government to safeguard the rights of the Indian nationals under any relevant international conventions or bilateral agreements.
The MEA’s standing counsel, advocate Ashish Dixit, accepted the notice on behalf of the ministry and sought time to obtain further instructions.
Given the strict deadlines for filing an appeal in Indonesia, the petitioners requested immediate legal aid to prevent irreversible consequences.
The high court has listed the matter for further hearing on May 6, 2025.