Sherin's parents' friends to get back Indian citizenship card

Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday cancelled the Houston Indian consulate's decision to revoke the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards issued to Manoj Nedumparampil Abraham and his wife Nissi T Abraham, friends of murdered girl Sherin Mathews' foster parents.

Three-year-old Sherin was found dead under a culvert in Dallas and her father Wesley Mathews, who is from Kerala, was convicted of capital murder and tampering with evidence, his wife Sini was convicted of abandoning the child.

The Abrahams, friends of Wesley and Sini, were among the first to receive a notice of cancellation of the OCI, which they challenged in Delhi High Court. Wesley's parents are also in the list.

Counsel general of India in Houston Anupam Ray on Saturday said India is cancelling the OCI cards of Wesley Mathews his wife Sini, who are in jail, and some relatives and close associates of the couple as public opinion in India on this issue is inflamed and travel of these people to India is not in public interest.

The court while cancelling the counsel general's order said, “the decision is without application of mind and ought to be set aside on this ground alone.” It also directed that if the OCI cards have to be cancelled, a show-cause notice has to be issued specifically stating the reasons for cancellation.

Sherin's case attracted global attention and forced the Indian government to tighten the adoption process.

Toddler Sherin's decomposed body was found under a culvert close to her home on October 22 last year, two weeks after her Indian-American foster parents reported her missing.

Her adoptive father, Wesley, who is from Ernakulam in Kerala, originally told police he had left Sherin outside the home at 3am to punish her for not drinking milk. Then he changed his statement and said Sherin had choked on milk while he tried to feed her in the garage.

He also admitted the family had gone out to dinner that night and left Sherin home alone. The couple from Kerala had adopted Sherin from an orphanage in Bihar in 2016.

(With inputs from PTI)