An Indian woman, Shahzadi Khan, who was facing a death sentence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been executed, the Foreign Ministry informed the Delhi High Court on Monday. The 33-year-old from Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district was convicted in Abu Dhabi over the alleged murder of a four-month-old child.
Shahzadi Khan was executed on February 15, 2025, in accordance with the laws and regulations of the UAE, the Foreign Ministry told the court. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma stated that the Indian embassy in the UAE received an official communication regarding Khan’s execution from the UAE government on February 28.
“Authorities are extending all possible assistance and that her cremation is scheduled for March 5, 2025,” he added.
This development followed a plea by Khan’s father, Shabbir Khan, who approached the court seeking access to information regarding the exact legal status and well-being of his daughter. Following the Ministry’s submissions, the court disposed of the plea, calling it a “sad and unfortunate” incident.
Khan was imprisoned in Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba jail and sentenced to death for the death of a child under her care. According to Shabbir Khan’s petition, his daughter had travelled to Abu Dhabi in December 2021 after obtaining a legal visa.
In August 2022, her employer gave birth to a son, for whom Khan was employed as a caregiver. The infant passed away on December 7, 2022, after receiving routine vaccinations.
The plea referenced a video recording that allegedly showed Khan confessing to the infant’s homicide in December 2023. However, it claimed that the confession was extracted through torture and abuse by her employer and their family.
It further alleged that the infant’s parents refused consent for a postmortem and signed an agreement waiving further investigation into the death.
Shabbir Khan also claimed that while the Indian Embassy provided his daughter with legal counsel, she was pressured into confessing and denied adequate representation. Khan’s appeal in September 2023 was dismissed, and the death penalty was upheld on February 28, 2024.
Following this, a new mercy petition was filed in May 2024. On February 14, 2025, Shabbir Khan received a call from his incarcerated daughter, suggesting her execution was imminent.
He then filed a formal request with the Foreign Ministry on February 20, 2025, seeking an inquiry into her legal status and well-being but received no update.
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