Mangalore: Woman claims harassment by Saudi employer, says visa agent cheated her

Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)

Mangalore, Oct 29: A cheating case has been registered in Pandeshwar police station against a visa agent identified as Khader, by a woman who alleged that he refused to pay her dues for her work at a house in Saudi Arabia and other expenditure incurred by her.

Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday October 29, Ayesha, the complainant said, "I am a resident of Miyapadavu of Kasargod. Around 11 months back, Khader, visa agent of Iklas Travels, Bunder had given me a free visa to work in his sister-in-law's house in Saudi Arabia. He gave me a visa for a period of six months.

"I went to Saudi and worked in the house with great difficulty for nearly 8 months, without even getting paid a single penny. My daughter was ill at the time I left to Saudi, when her condition worsened, my employers did not even allow me to attend the phone call from home or permit me to go back," she alleged.

"When I requested them to send me home as my daughter was serious, the house owner Abdullah Abdulaziz Abdullah Altwajri demanded an amount of Rs 2 lac. As I had to get back to India at any cost, I got in touch with my daughter's fiancé Mohammed Aslam Haideroskutty who stays in Dubai and transffered an amount of Rs 1.25 lac to the house owner's account.

"The employers did not help me out with the return ticket to India, and I had to buy the ticket myself with Aslam's help. Now it has been nearly three months since I returned to India. With the help of my neighbours and relatives I contacted Khader and asked him to pay my dues and the salary. But he has refused to do so and told me to do whatever I wish."

"Khader earlier come to my house and told me that he would give me a free visa to Saudi, and even gave me Rs 10,000 when I was in need when my house was under construction, and that was how I blindly believed him," she said.

"He has cheated me by not even giving me my 8 months salary and even grabbing Rs 1.25 lac from me in Saudi. A complaint in this regard has been registered in the Pandeshwar police station and an appeal has been sent to the police commissioner and the home minister," she said.

M G Hegde also spoke on the occasion and urged the police department to take stringent action against the accused as such incidents have been increasing of late.

Jyothika Jain, Rashid Kunjathoor and Ibrahim were present.

Khader's clarification

When contacted by daijiworld, accused Khader rubbished Ayesha's claims and said that Ayesh had gone to Saudi on a two-year agreement but returned in only 8 months, thus violating the agreement terms. "Ayesha had gone to Saudi for two years, but there she came in contact with a driver and wanted to escape from the house. But the employers came to know about it and stopped her. She then wanted to leave Saudi and return to India, so the employers told her that she could leave provided she pays for the ticket herself, as she would be violating the agreement," he said.

About her claims that she was not paid salary, he said, "She worked there for 8 months and the entire salary has been paid to her. She has even signed the salary document and it has been already submitted to Pandeshwar police."