Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 17: The city police have arrested a person on the allegation of cheating a person after promising to secure foreign visa and employment in an office abroad. He reportedly had collected lacs of rupees from the complainant for the purpose.

The arrested accused happens to be Jerry Ithial Sikha (32), residing near a private hospital at Balmatta here. City police commissioner, N Shashi Kumar explained that a woman from Kavoor here had visited Sikha's office during early April this year with the aim of going abroad for employment. She was informed by Sikha that there are vacancies in an office in Lithuania, Europe where salary will be Rs 3.5 lac per month. The lady was also promised of procuring a visa for the purpose, and was told that she will have to foot expenses of Rs 5.5 lac for the same.

The woman, with an eye on a lucrative employment, had paid one lac rupees in cash by raising loan against pledge of her jewellery and a further amount of one lac rupees was transferred through NEFT to the account of Sikha. Later the woman came to know that the accused had not obtained a valid licence from the competent authority for his activities. When the complainant sought refund of money, the accused failed to comply with her demand, the commissioner added.

A case was registered in the city (north) police station. A couple of more persons who were cheated in similar fashion have also filed complaints and investigation is on, he stated.

Shashi Kumar said that incidents of people getting cheated with the promise of foreign employment are coming into the open. "Already, 'Protector of Emigrants - POE, working under the ministry of foreign affairs, has released an official list of agencies authorised for foreign employment. If the people have been taken for a raid by the agencies, they can complain to the police," he said.