RIYADH: The Indian Embassy here is setting up a legal aid cell to provide assistance to Indians accused of various offenses in the Kingdom.
“We have already sought the necessary funds from the government of India to establish and maintain such a cell,” Indian Ambassador M.O.H. Farook told a delegation of Indian expatriates who met him this week.
He added that the main constraint in settting up such a body is funds. If community organizations come forward with the necessary financing, his office will work out the modalities for establishing the legal aid cell.
The delegation comprised Latheef Thechi, Harikrishnan, Mala Mohiyudeen, Rafi Pangodu and R. Muraleedharan from the Federation of Kerala Associations of Saudi Arabia (FOKASA), which has 20 affiliates in different parts of the Kingdom.
Speaking to Arab News after the meeting, FOKASA Convener Muraleedharan said his organization had pledged that it would provide part of the funds needed for the project, which would look after the interests of all Indian workers in the Kingdom. He said there are a large number of Indians serving time in Saudi jails; however, he could not provide any figures.
“They have been found guilty of various crimes, including theft, bootlegging, alcoholism, adultery, forgery, embezzlement, traffic accidents, bribery, violation of residence and labor laws, and other miscellaneous crimes,” he added.
Besides convicted prisoners, many Indians languish in jails even after serving their time, Muraleedharan said. “The proposed legal aid cell would help these prisoners to come out of jail as soon as their term is over,” he said, adding that ignorance about the local judicial procedures is the main reason for their predicament.
Other hurdles before the release of prisoners who have completed their terms include administrative bottlenecks in getting clearance from various government departments and undue delays in filing compensation claims and reaching settlement on blood money and other indemnities.
