17 Indians who won death row reprieve are headed to civil court

The 17 Indian men who were released from death row following their murder conviction in a bootlegging brawl are now headed to Sharjah Civil Court after two other men who claimed they were injured in the fight filed a compensation case.

DUBAI // A compensation claim filed by two men who said they were injured in a January 2009 alcohol bootlegging brawl has been transferred from the reconciliation committee to the Sharjah Civil Court after the parties involved were unable to reach an agreement.

The 17 Indian men who were convicted of killing a Pakistani man in the turf war had won a reprieve from death row and had their sentences commuted last month.

However, the men were not released from prison or allowed to travel back home to India after Public Prosecution referred the Sharjah appeal court's judgment to the Federal Supreme Court.

The reconciliation committee allows for disputing parties to negotiate and reach a compromise. The case is transferred to the civil court when reconciliation is not an option.

"Since reconciliation failed, the case has been transferred to a civil court," Bindu Suresh Chettur, the Indian men's legal representative, said today following a closed court hearing between the two parties. Her law firm was appointed by the Indian government to defend the convicted men.

"We are not ready for a compromise," she said.

The injured men were seeking Dh1.5 million in their compensation claim.

"We are willing to fight till the end," said Mushtaq Ahmed, one of the claimants. "I have been unable to work after sustaining serious injuries to my hand."

The Sharjah Appeals Court waived the 17 Indian men's death sentence after the family of the murder victim Misri Nazir Khan forgave the killers in exchange for Dh 3.4 million in blood money.