Indian's body to be brought back from Saudi in a week: govt tells HC

New Delhi: The mortal remains of a man from Jharkhand, who was allegedly killed by his employers in Saudi Arabia last year, is likely to be brought to India within a week, government on Friday said.

The disclosure was made before the Delhi High Court, with the government saying that the Indian embassy in Riyadh has taken all steps to dispatch the body of Jharkhand-based Mohammed Afsar Ansari. The counsel for the government told a bench of Justice J R Midha that all the formalities have been completed.

"Everything which the embassy could have done has been done. The developments are very positive," the counsel said, adding that it would take one week's time to dispatch the body of the deceased to India.

The court has fixed the matter for hearing on April 29. 27-year-old Ansari, hailing from Jharkhand, was allegedly killed last year by his employers in Saudi Arabia apparently after he wanted to return to India.

The government's submission came on a plea by Ansari's wife Naushaba Bano who has sought contempt proceedings against the concerned officials, claiming there was a delay on their part in transporting her husband's body to India as directed by the court earlier.

Her counsel had earlier told the court that Ansari's kin feared that since the Indian Embassy had issued a no objection certificate (NoC) to the employers, they may bury the body in Saudi Arabia itself.

In its status report, the Indian Embassy had said its officials had visited the Bureau of Investigation in Saudi Arabia this month and got a clearance from them to release the mortal remains of Ansari.

It had also submitted that his relative there would need to submit the passport and other related documents to the cargo agency for transportation of the body. The embassy had also said that it had prepared the NoC in the name of Ansari's brother but as it was not collected by him, it was prepared in favour of the employer.