Nagpur, Mar 7 (PTI) The Maharashtra State Minorities Commission on Saturday urged for consular assistance for a doctor and a businessman from Nagpur detained in Makkah in Saudi Arabia where they had gone to perform Umrah.
Maharashtra State Minorities Commission chairperson Pyare Khan wrote to the Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after being informed of the plight of the duo by their kin.
The family, in their letter to the commission, said the two have been detained after being falsely accused of being engaged in brokerage activities without a company licence.
“As per the information received from the family of Abdul Asim Khan and Dr Yahya Hunani belonging to Nagpur, the two arrived in Jeddah on March 3 and travelled to Makkah for Umrah. On March 4, while offering prayers at Masjid Al- haram, they were reportedly approached by individuals in civil dress and subsequently taken into custody after a misunderstanding during an interaction conducted only in Arabic, which they do not understand,” Khan said in the letter.
It has been reported that the two individuals are currently held at the Al Shumaisi detention facility and that deportation proceedings may have been initiated, the letter said.
“The family of the two Indian nationals has expressed serious concern about the circumstances of their detention and the allegations made against them. The Maharashtra State Minorities Commission has requested the embassy to extend urgent consular assistance verify their status and welfare and ensure that due process and fair representation are provided to them,” the letter said. PTI CLS BNM
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