The Kerala Police has registered a case against 13 Indian nurses, alleging that they did not pay the loan taken from Al Ahli Bank (ABK) of Kuwait, while she was working in the Gulf country. These accused are related to Kerala and allegedly took this loan while working under the Ministry of Health in Kuwait between 2019 and 2021.
According to the complaint lodged by the bank’s Chief Consumer Officer Mohammad Al Kattan, the total amount defaulted by these 13 nurses has been stated to be around ₹ 10.33 crore. After the completion of the work contract, several nurses returned to Kerala and later went to the UK, US, Canada, Australia and parts of Europe without paying loans.
FIR in Kottayam and Ernakulam
Following the complaint, the Kerala Police registered cases in several police stations.
FIR in Kottayam:
Curavilangad
Ayarakunnam
Vellur
Kaduthaurathi
Vaikom
Thalayolaprambu
FIR in Ernakulam:
13 nurses in Kerala have been charged under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which is related to cheating and dishonesty in the delivery of property.
ABK representatives said that the accused had assured the bank that they would pay the loan from their salary and will continue to work in Kuwait until the loan is completely repaid. But instead of paying the loan, these accused resigned from their jobs and left Kuwait without paying, causing heavy financial loss to the bank.
ABK lawyer Thomas J. Anakallankal said that lookout notices will be issued and arrest will be made on the accused to Kerala. He also said that some defaulters paid small loans first so that the bank’s trust could win and then suddenly left the country with a big loan.
thorough investigation
Bank officials said that about 806 persons, mostly Kerala residents, are under investigation in similar default cases between 2019 and 2023. The total damage is stated to be around ₹ 270 crore. In addition, legal action is also being taken under Section 208 of the Indian Civil Protection Code, which allows action against Indian citizens committing crimes abroad.
The Crime Branch is monitoring the investigation in Katchi. ABK has emphasized that intentionally default not only affects the bank, but also damages the reputation of Indian migrants in Kuwait, which can further strengthen the loan rules.
background
The case came to light in December 2024 after the complaint lodged by Gulf Bank of Kuwait, alleging a loan default of more than ₹ 700 crore on about 1,400 Keralas. In that case, the Kerala High Court rejected the anticipatory bail petitions and the investigation was handed over to the Crime Branch.
