Fake Case Filed After Demanding Dues: Relief Verdict for Expatriate Malayali in Dubai

Dubai: An expatriate Malayali, who was falsely accused and trapped in a criminal case after demanding his legitimate end-of-service benefits from his company, has received a favorable verdict from the Dubai Criminal Appeal Court. Kripal Thankachan, a native of Kottarakkara, Kollam, who had faced a travel ban and imprisonment for nearly one and a half years, was acquitted by the court after finding him innocent.

Kripal Thankachan had submitted his resignation letter on December 18, 2023, and subsequently completed his notice period. When he demanded his rightful gratuity and annual leave salary from the company, the management allegedly denied the payment and threatened him. Following this, Kripal filed a complaint with the Labour Court, which ruled in his favor.

The False Accusation

Provoked by the Labour Court's decision, the company owner filed a fake complaint at the Qusais Police Station, alleging that Kripal had embezzled AED 69,000 from the company. Based on this fabricated complaint, the Dubai Criminal Court initially fined Kripal AED 79,000.

Kripal then approached Salam Pappinissery, CEO of YAB Legal Services. Under his leadership, an appeal was filed with documentation proving Kripal's innocence. The Appeal Court, upon reviewing the case, appointed an expert to examine the claim of whether Kripal had indeed taken the money.

The Appeal and Acquittal

In court, Kripal's lawyer argued that the company's complaint lacked any evidence or supporting documents. He also pointed out that the criminal complaint was an act of retaliation for the Labour Court case. After examining the arguments, the court found the company owner's testimony to be baseless and observed that the statements of the employees who came as witnesses were inadmissible.

Finding that there was insufficient evidence for the allegation of embezzlement, the court declared Kripal innocent and acquitted him of all charges. This verdict, achieved after a long legal battle, has brought immense relief to Kripal.