‘This is my last call’: UP woman Shahzadi Khan’s final words before execution in UAE revealed

Shahzadi Khan, 33, was executed on February 15 in Abu Dhabi for the alleged murder of a four-month-old child. The woman was a native of Goira Mughlai village in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. Her last wish was to speak to her ‘Ammi and Abbu’.

Shahzadi Khan’s family was unaware of her execution until February 28, when they received the official confirmation. Shabbir Khan said the last time he spoke to his daughter was on February 14, just a day before she was hanged.

“This is my last call,” said Shahzadi Khan, according to a Times of India report.

The ToI report added that Shahzadi’s brother had taken the call, he heard her say, “They asked me about my final wish,” further adding, “I asked to speak to ammi and abbu.”

Shahzadi Khan Executed in UAE

Shahzadi Khan had been in Abu Dhabi police custody since February 10, 2023, and was sentenced to death on July 31, 2023. The news of her execution came to light during a Delhi High Court hearing on Monday when the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that she had been hanged last month.

Shahzadi Khan’s family was unaware of her execution until February 28, when they received the official confirmation. Shabbir Khan said the last time he spoke to his daughter was on February 14, just a day before she was hanged.

Shahzadi Khan last rites are scheduled to take place on March 5 in Abu Dhabi.

Shahzadi Khan was Innocent, claims family

Father Shabbir Khan recounted that his daughter, Shahzadi, had been working for an Abu Dhabi-based woman named Nazia who had given birth to a baby boy in August 2022. According to him, when the baby was four months old, when he was administered a vaccine that is typically given at six months.

Shabbir Khan alleged that the infant’s death was caused by the vaccine but Shahzadi Khan was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death.

Shabbir further claimed that the child’s mother used her influence to ensure Shahzadi’s conviction, leading to her execution.

India Government Did Not Help

Asked whether the PM Narendra Modi-led government had assured any support, Shabbir Khan told PTI, “No, we received no help whatsoever,” adding that the family had reached out to politicians and even film personalities but to no avail.

Expressing his anguish, he remarked, “Yogi ji (UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) and Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) don’t have daughters, they cannot understand this pain. If it had been someone close to them, they would have taken action.”

However, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday that the Indian Embassy provided all possible legal assistance to Shahzadi, including sending mercy petitions and pardon requests to the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Shabbir Khan has now placed his hopes solely on the UP government, urging Adityanath to help secure justice for his daughter.

“I have no hope from the Centre anymore. My only request is to Yogi ji — please get justice for my daughter,” he said.

Shahzadi was ‘Forced’ to Confess?

Shahzadi’s family counsel Ali Mohammad alleged that Shahzadi was framed through a flawed legal process.

“She repeatedly stated that her court-appointed lawyer tried to convince her to confess to the crime but she never did. However, once she was convicted, we managed to present our own lawyer who put forward strong documentation. Yet, despite our best efforts, we were unsuccessful and her appeal was dismissed on February 28, 2024,” he explained.

Describing the judgment as highly unfortunate, he said, “This was plain extrajudicial killing in the guise of judicial killing.”