Saul Itzhayek, the 42-year-old Montreal businessman who has been held in a prison in India for nearly a year (reported HERE on YWN), will be home later this week, his mother confirmed to the media this morning.

“The government of Canada, the embassy, are taking him from the jail to take the plane and coming to Delhi,” his mother said. “Then from Delhi they’re going to put him on the plane and coming to Montreal.”

Itzhayek was serving a three-year sentence for a visa violation, but argues that he was the victim of entrapment. He has said he was urged by an Indian official 10 months ago to cross over from Nepal to recover some of his belongings, even though his Indian visa was no longer valid.

An interfaith group of clergy increased pressure on the Canadian government last week to press the Indian government to obtain Itzhayek’s release. They also expressed fear for his safety and security following recent bombs and a fatal shooting in the prison where he was being held.

(Source: Canwest News)