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Gulf Bank’s Deputy General Manager Mohammed Abdul Wase has met the Kerala Police chief and has lodged a complaint. The police have registered 10 FIRs in the case
One of those nurses who returned to Kerala has purchased a luxurious apartment in Kochi and is currently employed at a local hospital. (Representative/Shutterstock)
A case of bank fraud amounting to approximately Rs 700 crore has surfaced in Kuwait. The scam, involving around 1,425 individuals, mainly nurses from Kerala, involved securing loans from Gulf Bank before leaving the country without repaying them.
Many of these individuals migrated to various destinations, including India, Canada, Australia, and several European countries, using the fraudulently obtained loans. Mohammed Abdul Wase, the Deputy General Manager of Gulf Bank, has filed a complaint with the Kerala Police regarding this matter. Consequently, the police have registered 10 FIRs in connection with the case.
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Wase also met with the Kerala Police Chief and demanded action against the accused. Thomas J Anakkallumkal, a lawyer representing the bank in Kerala, stated that the company has identified ten loan defaulters currently in Kerala and registered FIRs against them.
One of those nurses who returned to Kerala has purchased a luxurious apartment in Kochi and is currently employed at a local hospital. However, legal cases have been filed against the individual. Shafiq Ali of Kalamassery faces charges amounting to Rs 1.25 crore, while Delna Thankachan of Vadayampady faces charges of Rs 93.10 lakh. The charges include cheating under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and criminal breach of trust under section 406.
It is noteworthy that Kuwait’s Gulf Bank granted loans to these individuals without requiring any collateral.
Jasmine Shah, President of the United Nurses Association, stated that most of the nurses had secured these loans to cover their recruitment expenses.
Shah said that a small number of nurses have not repaid loans to the Gulf Bank. The inability to meet these financial obligations stemmed from job losses during the pandemic. Furthermore, some nurses returned to India and faced travel restrictions upon attempting to return to Kuwait. Consequently, many of these nurses remain unemployed.
Thomas J Anakkallumkal, the bank’s representative in Kerala, stated that many nurses had consistently met their loan obligations. However, when presented with opportunities in Europe, Australia, and Canada, they secured substantial loans before emigrating and subsequently ceased repayments. Although the bank has identified these individuals, their absence from Kuwait prevents any further action.
To address the fraud committed in Kuwait, Gulf Bank has consulted with law firms to initiate legal action against the defaulters in India. This action is permissible under Indian law, which allows for prosecution even if the crime occurred abroad, a police official said.
Gulf Bank is currently in the process of identifying the accused and filing cases in various police stations across multiple districts, including Kalamassery, Njarakkal, Varapuzha, Kalade, Muvattupuzha, Onnukal, Kodanad, and Kumarakom.
- Location :
Kerala, India