A total of 7,620 Indian prisoners are lodged in 86 jails worldwide in Southeast Asia, Sr Lanka, China, Nepal, US, UK and the Gulf countries with nearly 56 percent of them being interred in Gulf countries. Among the 7,620 Indian prisoners, at least 50 are women.
According to a Times of India report, the highest numbers of Indian prisoners are in Saudi Arabia. Out of the total number, nearly 2,084 Indians are in Saudi Arabia, mostly been confined on charges of financial fraud, burglary and bribery. Others have been arrested for drinking and selling alcohol in Saudi Arabia where producing, importing or consuming alcohol is a crime.
In countries in Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, the majority of Indian nationals in prison were charged with offences related to drug and human trafficking and immigration and visa violation.
In Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, and Ethiopia a large number of prisoners are fishermen who entered troubled waters. In Australia and Canada, Indian nationals that are prisoners have mostly been charged with murder, sexual assault, money laundering and road accidents, reported TOI.
According to a Ministry of External Affairs official, 61 Indian prisoners have so far been repatriated from foreign prisons under the Prisoners Act, 2003.
