Missing Indian visitor found in Abu Dhabi jail

Abu Dhabi, May 30 (IANS) An Indian visitor presumed missing has been found in a jail in Abu Dhabi for over-staying and will be repatriated, a senior Indian Embassy official said.Wasi Ahmad came to Dubai on a one-month tourist visa on February 9 through an agent in India, the Gulf News reported on Wednesday. The agent promised to provide him with an employment visa as soon as he arrived and charged him 4,220 dirhams ($1,140) but he wasn't issued the employment visa, as promised forcing him to overstay for two months.After two months, Ahmad got a job but the employer told him they wouldn't bear the overstay penalty charge 6,000 dirhams ($1,630). So he went to the embassy to report the agent who cheated him. The embassy took him to a police station but he was detained there for a failure to pay overstay fines and sent to a prison.Pooja Vernekar, First Secretary at the Head of Community Affairs of the Indian Embassy, told Gulf News: "Wasi Ahmad is currently in jail for overstaying... Once all legal formalities are complete, we will inform authorities and issue an air ticket."Vernekar advised Indians to avoid coming to the United Arab Emirates on a visit visa in search of work and to arrive only through proper employment channels to avoid being exploited.
--IANS ksk/mr