Interpol may investigate Bahrain fraud case
Manama, March 27, 2014
Interpol could be brought in to investigate the case of a Sri Lankan man, who fled the country after allegedly conning people in Bahrain out of thousands of dinars.
It is claimed the 28-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pocketed money from hundreds of customers of Hrbor Travel and Tourism in return for visa services and issuing plane tickets, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.
Company owner Mohammed Saleh earlier filed a complaint with police after learning the man had left Bahrain, saying he had no idea of his business dealings outside the office.
Customers have been demanding the owner to repay their money, with one person claiming he paid the alleged conman around BD500 ($1,319.6) in instalments to bring his Peruvian girlfriend to Bahrain.
Saleh said he has urged authorities in Bahrain and requested Interpol for help.
"I sent one of my employees to Sri Lanka after tracking down his address through an agent, but this man is no more living in the same house," he told the GDN.
"So I have no option, but to ask the Bahraini police to intervene and bring Interpol to find this man for me.
"I have suffered a lot because of this man, and I want him behind the bars.
"Someone earlier told me that he was arrested, but there is no proof and we don't know from where and when so I cannot take the words of people and want authorities to confirm.
"No one knows where he has gone, maybe to Sri Lanka or Dubai, or some other country.
"That's why we need Interpol here and I told police last time I went to see them.
"They spoke to officers and are waiting for confirmation."
Immigration officials confirmed the man left Bahrain on January 21.
He had worked with the company for almost nine months, but allegedly started meeting customers outside the company, taking money and issuing fake receipts to them, without his employer's knowledge.
Well-placed sources earlier confirmed a case had been lodged against him at the Public Prosecution. - TradeArabia News Service
