SC issues notice to govt about missing Indian engineer

The Supreme Court today sought a response from the Centre in the case of a Indian engineer Fasih Mahmood who was abducted in Saudi Arabia allegedly by Indian intelligence officials on 13 May. The court issued notices to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and National Human Rights Commission to file their replies in the matter by 1 June when his wife, Nikhat Parveen’s, plea would be taken up for hearing. Fasih has been untraceable since he was taken away from his residence in Saudi Arabia on 13 May. After approaching various authorities, his family filed moved the apex court today. The next hearing in this case is scheduled on 1 June. [caption id=“attachment_326248” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The court has asked the centre to reply by 1 June. Reuters”] [/caption]Advocate Naushad Ahmad Khan, appearing for Parveen, pleaded that the court should direct the government to reveal the whereabouts of her husband as he was allegedly picked up by Indian officials with the assistance of authorities of Saudi Arabia. Parveen had approached the door of the apex court alleging that Mahmood, 29, who hails from Darbhanga in Bihar, was picked up on 13 May, for purported terror links, from their home in Saudi Arabia, where he had been working for five years. Parveen had earlier said, she had written to several authorities including ministry of external affairs and home, Bihar and Karnataka governments, Saudi embassy in India, but nobody was telling her anything. On 13 May, according to her, a group of Saudi and Indian officials in civilian clothes allegedly searched their house in Jubail in Dammam, confiscated a laptop and mobile phone and informed them that Fasih has to be deported as he is wanted in India. Shocked by the sudden turn of events, 22-year-old Parveen, who had married Mahmood in September last year and had joined him in Saudi only in March, first contacted the Indian embassy. Failing to get any information from there, she returned to India on 15 May. with inputs from PTI