Daijiworld Media Network - Kuwait

Kuwait, Dec 9: In a major fraud case, Kuwait Gulf Bank has alleged that Indian nationals, primarily nurses from Kerala, defrauded the institution by taking loans and defaulting on repayments. At least 10 FIRs have been filed in Kerala following complaints lodged by the bank.

According to the bank, the accused took out small loans initially, followed by larger amounts, before leaving Kuwait on vacation and ceasing repayments. Many of them are believed to have migrated to countries such as Canada and others in Europe.

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The total defrauded amount reported across 10 cases is Rs 10.21 crore. However, the bank estimates its overall loss at a staggering Rs 700 crore, allegedly caused by around 1,425 Indian nationals, with a significant majority being Keralites.

Upon uncovering the non-repayment pattern, the bank discovered that several Malayali nurses were involved. Bank officials visited Kerala to file formal complaints, prompting local police to launch an investigation.

Authorities are handling each case individually to determine the accused's current status and verify their citizenship. Efforts are underway to trace their whereabouts.

It is reported that at least 800 of the accused were employed as nurses under Kuwait's Ministry of Health, raising further concerns about the scale and coordination of the fraud.