Kozhikode: In a significant diplomatic effort, prominent Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar has intervened in the case of Nimisha Priya, a Malayali nurse from Palakkad who faces execution in Yemen. It is reported that Kanthapuram has initiated communication with the Yemeni government and the family of the deceased Yemeni national, Talal Abdu Mahdi.

Nimisha Priya, convicted in the 2017 murder case of Talal, is currently on death row in a Yemeni prison. Her execution is reportedly scheduled for July 16.

Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal has urged both the state and central governments to intensify efforts, stating that only a few days remain. He also demanded that a state ministerial delegation meet the Prime Minister immediately and that the Kerala Chief Minister take personal responsibility for pursuing a resolution.

Several political leaders have also extended support for Nimisha’s release, including MPs K. Radhakrishnan, John Brittas, Kodikunnil Suresh, Chandy Oommen (MLA), Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, and Kerala Congress (M) Chairman Jose K. Mani. Nimisha, a native of Kollangode in Palakkad, has been imprisoned in Yemen since 2017.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response within three days on a bail plea of journalist Mahesh Langa in a money laundering case linked to an alleged financial fraud.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the jailed journalist, to file rejoinder, if needed, to the ED's response within two days of it being filed.

The top court fixed the case for further hearing on December 15.

During the brief hearing on Monday, Sibal said a journalist has been facing as many as six cases.

"The journalist is accused of extortion," the counsel for the ED said and sought a short adjournment on the ground that Solicitor General Tuhar Mehta was unavailable at the moment.

The top court on September 8 sought responses from the Gujarat government and the ED on Langa's bail plea.

While issuing the notices on Langa's bail plea, the bench asked, "What kind of a journalist is he?"

"With due respect, there are some very genuine journalists. But there are also people who on their scooter say we are 'patrakar' (journalists) and what they actually do everybody knows," the bench told Sibal.

Sibal replied that these are all allegations.

"In one FIR, he gets anticipatory bail, then a second FIR is lodged and again anticipatory bail is granted but now he is booked under a third FIR for income tax evasion. There are other things also against him," Sibal submitted.

He added that there is a background to the case also.

On July 31, the Gujarat High Court rejected Langa's bail plea in the money laundering case on the grounds that if released on bail, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.

On February 25, the ED said it arrested Langa in a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.

He was first arrested in October 2024 in a GST fraud case.

The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by Ahmedabad police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.