"India keeping a close eye": MEA on two Indian nationals missing in Kenya
Oct 14, 2022
New Delhi [India], October 14 : The Indian government is in continuous touch with the Kenyan authorities and also keeping a close eye on the issue of two nationals including Balaji Telefilms' ex-COO ( Chief Operations Officer) missing in Kenya since mid-July.
While addressing the weekly presser, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the two Indian nationals, Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan and Zaid Sami Kidwai, have been missing in Kenya since mid-July and the government is keeping a close eye on this development but is doubtful about their missing.
"There were two Indian nationals, Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan and Zaid Sami Kidwai, who has been missing in Kenya since mid-July. A Police complaint has been filed there soon after that. Subsequently, a habeas corpus petition was filed in the Kenyan court," MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi
"We understand this issue is now sub-judice in the High Court of Kenya, and a number of hearings have taken place. I think, recently, this week one hearing took place. Our High Commission has been in continuous touch with the Kenyan authorities. We are also in touch with some family members. Let me emphasize that we are attached to the high consideration and attention to the safety and well-being of Indian nationals as we do with others...We are keeping a close eye on this development, I'm afraid they're still missing," Bagchi said during the weekly presser.
According to the Kenyan publication, former Balaji Telefilms COO Zulfiqar Khan and other Indian national Mohamed Zaid Sami Kidwai went missing in mid-July after leaving a popular club in Westlands at 11.53 pm.
Several hours later, two Indian nationals and their driver Nicodemus Mwania, were reported missing. The trio has since been missing for over 70 days.
According to several Kenyan media reports, both Indian nationals were in Kenya to join President William Ruto's election campaign Information and Communications Technology (ICT) team.
Police officers said that the CCTV footage had been retrieved from the scene of the abduction in a bid to retrace the missing people.
In addition, a section of detectives based in Lang'ata was also detained to aid in investigations. The detained officers were ordered to hand over a file with their findings to a new team of sleuths, the Kenyan media said.
Meanwhile, Khan's family urged the police to conclude the investigations in a bid to locate their kin. The family hired lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi who obtained orders for the trio to be produced in court. However, on August 4, the case was mentioned and the three were yet to be traced, according to a Kenya media publication.
The family has since urged acting Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow to handle the matter and expedite the investigations.
