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Kerala: CBI files charge-sheet in recruitment scam

The accused aimed to “obtain pecuniary advantage to themselves through corrupt and illegal means,â€the agency submitted.

Kochi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the multi-crore nurses recruitment scam has filed one more charge sheet naming L Adolphus, Protector of Emigrants, Kochi, as the key accused. The chargesheet, submitted in the CBI court here, names Kochi–based Al Zarafa manpower Consultants Private Limited, its owner Mailakkattu Varghese Uthuppu, his wife Susan Thomas, also chairman of Al-Zarafa, and two of their employees -Jossy and Pradeep K.S., as the remaining accused. Further two hawala operators identified as V S Suresh Babu of Kottayam-based Suresh Forex and Abdul Nasser of Malabar Foreign Exchange in Kochi have been also arraigned as the accused.

According to CBI, the accused entered into a conspiracy and collected Rs 19.5 lakh as service charge from each candidate for issuing nursing visa to the Ministry of Health, Kuwait. They also collected certificates and other valuable securities from the candidates upon their failing to pay the amount on getting the jobs. The accused aimed to “obtain pecuniary advantage to themselves through corrupt and illegal means,” the agency submitted. Based on the finding, the accused have been booked under the IPC sections 120 B, 384 and 420, section 13(2) and Section 13(1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 24 and 25 of the Emigration Act 1983.

During investigation, the investigating agencies had found that hawala operators Suresh B and Abdul Nazar helped Varghese Uthup in sending around Rs 230 crore abroad through hawala channels. Based on the finding, the Enforcement Directorate had conducted raids at the offices and residences and booked them under provisions of the Money laundering Act. Earlier this month, the CBI had filed a charge sheet in another case registered in this connection, naming Adolphus and Reny Eapen of JK International Manpower Consultants as accused. According to CBI, these recruitment agencies cheated its candidates with active connivance and support from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs’ Protector of Emigrants (PoE).

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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