Workers exempted from lifetime ban

Dubai: Jithin Jose, Binu Thomas and Paul Joseph, natives of Kozhikode, who were subjected to a life ban from the UAE after the company owner filed a fraud complaint against the relatives of his business partner, and were subjected to deportation after being scanned, including their eyes, in jail, have been released from the life ban.

In 2002, M. Jo. (name not disclosed), a native of Kottarakkara, Kollam, and Prasad Philip, a native of Pasukadavu, Kozhikode, started an electrical company in Dubai with equal partnership. The company was in the name of M. Jo.'s wife. As the company's income increased significantly, disputes arose, and in June 2008, Prasad Philip returned the amount invested and M. Jo. took over the company.

Subsequently, by mutual agreement, the visas of Prasad Philip, Jithin Jose, Binu Thomas, and Paul Joseph were requested to be canceled together, but M. Jo. convinced them that after canceling the visa of business partner Prasad Philip, the visas of the three relatives would be canceled later. But he removed the workers from their jobs and places of residence, and filed false complaints with the Labor Department and the Immigration Department to impose a lifetime ban. The workers said that since there was a complaint with the Immigration Department that they had run away, they could not work in another company or leave their place of residence due to fear.

For more than a year and a half, Prasad Philip, who is also a relative, provided accommodation, food, and expenses for conducting the case. Although the case was initially assigned to another lawyer by paying a huge amount, all the cases failed. They approached Salam Pappinissery of United Advocates through social activist Reji Varghese when they were preparing to return home after surrendering to immigration as per the instructions of the lawyer who had handled the case, having their eyes scanned, receiving a passport with a lifetime ban, and spending time in jail. In order to settle their feud with their former business partner, M. Jo. Salam Pappinissery himself personally informed the higher officials of the Dubai Labor Department and the Emigration Department through the power of attorney given by the workers that three workers, who were relatives, had been imprisoned for filing a false complaint and taken steps to impose a lifetime ban. The witness statement of Father Jose, the parish priest of St. Teresa's Church in Pasukadavu, Kozhikode, was helpful in proving that the three workers were relatives of Prasad Philip. M. Jo. Although the Immigration Department summoned the workers and asked them to withdraw the complaint against them, the company sponsor, Arabi, was also brought in and a lifetime ban was imposed, and a written complaint was submitted to send them back to the country. However, the high-ranking officials of the Immigration Department intervened and, after examining the documents submitted by Salam Pappinissery, the Immigration Department withdrew the eye scan, avoided the huge fine, did not put the workers in jail, and exempted them from the lifetime ban.

Never in my life have I ever been to the U. A. E. The three gratefully say that it was thanks to the careful intervention of legal representative Salam Pappinissery that they were able to escape the lifelong ban through a legal battle, after thinking they would never be able to return to the country.