AN expat claims he is stranded in Bahrain because his former employer stole his identity to leave the country.
Anuprasad Sivaprasad, from India, said his passport was now in the possession of the Indian Embassy.
He said diplomats confiscated it after he showed up at the mission to complain about his ex-employer, an Indian who is now understood to be in Kerala.
The employer is said to have taken a copy of Mr Sivaprasad’s passport to the embassy, posed as Mr Sivaprasad and claimed to have lost his original travel document.
He was then issued an outpass by the embassy, which enabled him to travel using Mr Sivaprasad’s identity.
Struggle
“I worked with him as a mason since I arrived on a work visa in February last year,” Mr Sivaprasad told the GDN.
“My passport was with him and I was never paid on time.
“I am owed over BD1,000 as salary, so I told him I wanted to leave and asked for my passport, but he kept delaying it.
“I learnt he had not renewed my visa and, at the same time, I was offered another job and I informed him about this.
“Finally, on October 17, he gave me my passport and I gave it to the new employers.
“They applied for the new visa, but it got rejected by immigration – who stated that the person (named in the passport) had already left the country.
“On further checking with the Indian Embassy I came to know someone else managed to get an outpass from the embassy with my passport copy – and used it to leave Bahrain.”
The 32-year-old is now appealing with Indian diplomats to intervene on his behalf and help him legalise his status in Bahrain.
“I am an illegal resident in Bahrain and I do not have a valid passport,” he said in a letter to the embassy, which was dated October 30.
“And I cannot apply for a new visa as my old visa has expired.
“I urge officials to please look into my situation and help me to restore my passport as I need it urgently to correct my legal status in Bahrain.”
Mr Sivaprasad also accused his old employer of forging his signature on a document, in which he appears to accept responsibility for the former’s liabilities.
“They showed me a file with his photograph (the person who left) and text in English, which had my signature at the bottom,” he said.
“It (the signature) is not mine, he has forged it.
“But the embassy officials said that they tested my signature and CID officers have found me a culprit – that I helped him leave the country on my passport.
“They said I could be arrested for a crime related to national security.
“How do I ever allow anyone to go on my passport?
“I am the only earning member of my very poor family in Kerala. How can I accept liabilities for hundreds of thousands of dinars and a travel ban?”
He said one social worker suggested he should also be issued an outpass to leave Bahrain, but said doing so under the current circumstances could damage his chances of taking up his new job here.
Passport
“My passport is valid until 2022 and it is now with the Indian Embassy,” said Mr Sivaprasad.
“I haven’t done anything wrong – why should I leave on an outpass?
“That would mean I accept the claims and I will have to get a new passport in India, which is a big hassle.
“Moreover, I will have a black mark on me and will not be able to take up other jobs abroad.
“I urge officials to please help me restore my passport and identity.”
Mr Sivaprasad’s mother has already filed a complaint with police in Kerala against the former employer of her son, but he has denied wrongdoing.
She has also filed complaints with Indian External Affairs Minister V Muraleedharan and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking their intervention.
Officials at the Indian Embassy and Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs did not comment yesterday.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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