Steps being taken to bring back 2 persons from state lodged in Thailand prison: Kerala CM

Thiruvananthapuram, June 26 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the Assembly on Wednesday that steps are being taken to bring back two persons from the state lodged in a Thailand jail after becoming victims of an online visa racket.

Vijayan was responding to a submission moved by IUML legislator and former state minister Manjilamkuzhi Ali.

It was Ali who brought the travails of two people – Zaffir and Suhaib hailing from Malappuram -- who had travelled to Abu Dhabi. From there they reached the border of Thailand and Myanmar and are presently languishing in a jail in Thailand.

Vijayan said they have taken up this issue with the Indian Ambassador in Bangkok and also with the Ministry of External Affairs.

“ We have asked the state police chief to conduct a detailed probe into the agents who gave the visa and start legal procedures against the violators,” said Vijayan.

Of late there have been an increasing number of cases where innocent people looking for jobs abroad after paying hefty sums as service charges to agents who now operate online, get cheated after reaching the promised destination.