Saudi pardon for eye case Indian

A court had ordered that one of Naushad's eyes be removed

Saudi Arabia has granted clemency to an Indian man who was to have lost an eye as punishment for attacking a Saudi man in 2003, India's foreign ministry says.

Junior Indian foreign minister E Ahamed confirmed that the Saudi authorities had pardoned Abdul Latif Naushad.

Mr Naushad was convicted of damaging the eye of a Saudi man during a scuffle in 2003.

A Saudi court sentenced Mr Naushad in 2003 to have one of his eyes removed as punishment.

Wife 'happy'

Mr Ahamed said Puthan Vettil Abdul Latif Naushad from the southern Indian state of Kerala was still in police custody in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi King Abdullah is due to visit India this week

It was not yet clear whether he would be deported to India.

Mr Naushad's wife, Suhaila, expressed her relief at developments.

"I am happy and satisfied with the way the issue was taken up by the Indian government and the media," she told a news conference in Delhi.

She arrived in the Indian capital on Sunday to plead her husband's case.

Saudi King Abdullah is due to arrive in India for a landmark visit on Tuesday. He will be chief guest for Republic Day celebrations on 26 January.

'Pardon'

Mr Naushad was working in the eastern city of Dammam in 2003 when he is said to have got into an argument with a customer.

According to one witness, the customer attacked Mr Naushad who then hit the man, damaging his eye.

Reports say the victim has now pardoned Mr Naushad which has made the granting of clemency possible following appeals by India and Human Rights Watch.

Under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia the concept of khasas, or retribution punishment, is practised.

According to this law a court can order a body part to be removed as equal punishment for harm caused to the victim. The ruling can be overturned only if the family of the victim pardons the accused.

The BBC's Frank Gardner says that even in Saudi Arabia it is extremely rare for eyes to be removed as punishment.