Keralaite flees Bahrain after duping 400 expat workers

DUBAI: Hunt is on for a man from Kerala accused of duping more than 400 expatriate workers and promising easy visas to the local people.

Murugan Bhanu Panicker, manager of a firm that supplied manpower in Bahrain, illegally signed and guaranteed documents on behalf of his company and allegedly withheld salaries of workers.

Workers of several nationalities, including Indians and Bangladeshis, are among the victims said to have been caught up in the Bahraini Dinar 266,800 scam.

The Indian Embassy is in touch with authorities in Kerala after a complaint was filed in this regard in Bahrain. "This is an extremely serious matter and that is why we have taken this up," said Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty.

"According to the information we are getting from his sponsor, he has gone back to Kerala.

"We advise workers they should always try to get their salaries through a bank transfer."

Panicker is also alleged to have conned money from people who visited the company office where he worked, promising to get them work and visas, the Gulf Daily News said on Thursday.

Shetty said allegations of cheating involving workers' wages had made him persuade the ICICI Bank to allow Indians to open a zero balance account, following Labour Ministry directives to transfer salaries into accounts. He said such a step could bring down disputes regarding payment of wages.