Diplomatic efforts have been sought to release about 250 Non-Resident Indians, mostly Keralites, incarcerated in jails for alleged economic offences in Qatar for several years.
Their relatives on Wednesday staged a sit-in at Mananchira in Kozhikode on the occasion of Qatar National Day.
“More than 2,000 Indians could be remaining fugitives for the fear of being caught and some have taken up odd jobs for a livilihood,” Prajeesh Thiruthiyil, president, Indian-Qatar Entrepreneurs Action Council, told The Hindu on Wednesday.
Debt-ridden
Less than a year ago, debt-ridden Indians had taken up the matter with the Union Ministry of External Affairs. Many of those in jail are from north Kerala.
“The agreement allowed Indians to commence business with a Qatari partnership on a 49:51 share basis. But in reality, the investments are solely funded by the Indians. And when businesses flop, Indians are put behind bars for non-repayment of loans. Multiple instances of Qatari investors on paper either taking over the property and selling them off have been reported. It is a grave situation,” he said.
The economic offences are a violation of the agreement signed between India and Qatar on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments signed on April 7, 1999 during the visit of the Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Tani, the then Emir of Qatar, he said.
United Nations representatives had visited the jails after the issue cropped up at the international level.
“Several persons have taken their lives after they have been awarded sentences without formal trial. Cases of deaths have also gone unreported following torture in prison,” he said.
Central help sought
Assistance of Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedhan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been sought, he said.
