After 3-year-long ordeal in Saudi Arabia, duped woman from Karnataka returns home finally

coastaldigest.com news network
July 24, 2021

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After around three months of consistent efforts, Mrs Sabiha, one of the two distressed women from Karnataka who were tortured by their sponsor for a prolonged period, finally touched down in India on Thursday July 22. She originally hails from Tumakuru district of Karnataka.

Mrs Sabiha boarded the flight on Thursday at Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport bound to Cochin International Airport at 8am (IST:10.30am) after her one month's stay under the shelter of Consulate General of India-Jeddah, she reached her hometown safely on July 23 before noon. 

All the legal formalities were completed about 10 days ago at Jawazaath in Jeddah Semaishi. However, due to the ticket issue that was supposed to be provided by the CGI Jeddah under ICWF provision, her departure was bit delayed. Even in the end, after repeated requests, she was not provided with the ticket by the CGI Jeddah putting the burden on the woman, who was already in the tight spot and penniless due to her sponsor's harassment and duping. Even after the persistent requests, the CGI had denied the ticket for her. 

Meanwhile, a businessman and philanthropist Mr Mustaq Ahmed Bengaluru in Jubail came forward voluntarily to sponsor the flight ticket for her after knowing her distressed and helpless situation.

The earliest flight directly to India (Cochin) from Jeddah was on July 22, so the ticket was sponsored to book the flight on the date to fly to Cochin.

At last, Sabiha reached her destination and breathed a sigh of relief after going through pains meted out against her by her sponsor, Saad Rahil Mukhlef Al-Anaizi based in Al Qurayath, northern part of Saudi Arabia, bordering to Jordan. 

Sabiha arrived in the KSA three years ago in 2018 on visit visa arranged by agents in Bengaluru and Mumbai under the sponsorship of Saad Al-Anaizi whom the agents know very well. She didn't know even the status of her visa as a visit (for 90 days), which doesn't allow her to work in the KSA as per the visit visa rule. Either it should have been renewed for a further period of time or visitor should have left the country before the visa expiry. But, either of the processes were not done by the sponsor and she was forced to work as a housemaid at his house. 

She faced her first problem from her Sponsor when she was sent to another family's house to work as a housemaid. She was hesitant to go there, but she was compelled to do so. After sometimes, she came back to her sponsor's house, where she continued to work helplessly even after the passing of 2years.

Due to this, she had to face severe tortures at his hands, she was neither allowed to go to India nor go outside of the sponsor's confined home despite of her repeated & consistent requests nor given salaries for about 9 months. 

She contacted Riyadh-based pro bono lawyer and social worker Adv. P.A. Hameed Padubidri for help through Mrs. Fairoza Banu, who was another woman, who was victimized by the same sponsor for the help. 

Firstly, Adv. P.A.Hameed tried to resolve the case through mutual talks with the sponsor, but it failed. He then took up the case with the Saudi Human Rights Commission (HRC) in AlJouf branch & Ministry of External Affairs, Delhi & the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. 

By taking up the case immediately on the list in May, 2021, the HRC contacted Adv. Padubidri to gather more details & background of the case. The HRC then forwarded the complaint to the concerned authorities  including police station in AlQurayath.The Embassy also involved based on the complaint & trailing communique of the MoEA, Delhi. 

With the intervention of all these agencies including Jawazaath (Directorate of Passport Dept), her sponsor agreed to send her together with Mrs. Fairoza Banu Dawanagere to India. He was also fined heavily for violating the visa rule of the KSA. 

First he sent Fairoza Banu to India via Riyadh-Qatar-Bengaluru in June 22, with valid flight tickets, passport & final exit paper & she reached Bengaluru KG Intl.Airport last month without much difficulties. 

However, Sabiha was duped by her sponsor sending her to Jeddah Intl. Airport with invalid dummy ticket that too without final exit document after getting her signature in the bus station at AlQurayath as if she had received all outstanding salaries & no dues from him although it's unpaid.  

When she reached the Jeddah airport, she came to know that she was mercilessly cheated by him. Finally, she landed at seeking the help of Indian Consulate (CGI) in Jeddah & remained there under the shelter of the CGI for one month until all the legal processes were facilitated by the authorities & she reached Jeddah airport on 22/07/2021 at 4am (Saudi time) to board the flight to India at 8am. 

She reached Cochin Airport on Thursday at 5.30 pm (IST) & she touched down her home place in Tumakuru, around 80 kms away from Bengaluru & now she joined with her family. 

With this, now both the ladies reached their respective home places in Karnataka with the great efforts of Adv. Padubidri with the supports of other two social workers in the KSA.

Adv. Padubidri expressed his immense amounts of thanks to AlQurayath- based social worker, Saleem Kodangalluru- Kerala, Dammam-based Social worker & senior resident, Yaseen Gulbarga for their very supports & constant cooperations since the day one. 

Adv. Padubidri also expressed his thanks to Mr. Mustaq Ahmed Bengaluru, who voluntarily offered the flight ticket for Sabiha, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Mysore in Jeddah, Sirajuddeen TN Jeddah, Fazal Makkah, Mr. Majeed B.K.Riyadh, Yasser Ahmed Mulky Riyadh, Farook Manipal Jeddah & others, who supported in his endeavour to facilitate the return of distressed woman.

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Adv. P.A. Hameed Padubidri 

Comments

Taher Ansar Khan
 - 
Saturday, 24 Jul 2021

Lots of respect to all who helped to woman reach her home... especially Mushtaq Ahmed Bangalore who sponsored free ticket to the woman...lots of respect and big salute musthaq Ahmed

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News Network
May 8,2024

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Mangaluru: Congress leader and five-time Belthangady MLA K Vasanth Bangera, passed away on Wednesday, at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He was 79.

His health condition had worsened recently, and he was shifted to Bengaluru for treatment. His body is likely to be brought to Belthangady on May 9 and will be kept for public homage, family sources said.

He has the credit of contesting from all three parties - BJP, Janata Dal and Congress. Since 1983, he had contested nine assembly elections and won five times.

Bangera had entered the Legislative Assembly by winning Belthangady constituency as a BJP candidate in 1983 against Gangadhar Gowda of the Congress.

He won had the elections again in 1985 and later joined the Janata Dal. However, he lost the election against Gangadhar Gowda of Congress in 1989.

He became an MLA once again for the third time in 1994. In the 1999 election, Bangera lost to his brother Prabhakar Bangera who contested from BJP.

In 2008, Bangera joined the Congress and won the elections for the fourth time. In 2013, he had once again won the elections against Ranjan Gowda of the BJP, but he also lost the elections to sitting MLA Harish Poonja of the BJP in 2018.

He was born to Kede Subba Poojary and Devaki. He is survived by his wife Sujitha V Bangera, and two daughters Preethitha and Binutha.
 

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News Network
May 5,2024

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Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar waded into controversy after he alleged that an RSS-affiliated cop, and not terrorist Ajmal Kasab, killed former state anti-terrorism squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

In a video statement released on Saturday, the Congress leader alleged that the bullet that killed IPS officer Hemant Karkare did not come from the gun of Ajmal Kasab or any of the other nine Pakistani terrorists involved in the attacks.

Instead, he claimed it came from the weapon of a police officer allegedly "dedicated to" the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Wadettiwar also accused Ujjwal Nikam, the special public prosecutor in the case and a BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Mumbai North Central, of suppressing this information, labeling him a "traitor."

He questioned the BJP's decision to nominate Nikam for the Lok Sabha polls, accusing the party of protecting traitors.

“During the probe, key information was out. However, it was suppressed by Ujjwal Nikam, who is a traitor. My question is, why is BJP protecting a traitor and nominating such a person for Lok Sabha polls? By doing this, BJP is protecting traitors," Wadettiwar alleged, Times of India reported.

These allegations drew strong responses from Nikam and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Nikam condemned Wadettiwar's statement as "baseless and irresponsible," expressing pain at the doubts raised over his integrity.

He emphasized the legal steps taken to convict Kasab, calling Wadettiwar's remarks an insult to the victims of the 26/11 attacks.

“What a reckless statement is being made. I am pained by such baseless allegations, raising doubts over my integrity. It clearly reflects the level of electoral politics. I never thought politicians will stoop to such low levels. For political gain? He (Wadettiwar) is insulting not me, but the 166 departed souls and all persons injured in the 26/11 attacks," Nikam said.

He added, “They (Congress) hold Kasab as innocent. Even Pakistan had accepted that Kasab was involved in the conspiracy and in the terror attack on India and was guilty".

He said Indians very well know the legal steps he had taken to ensure Kasab’s conviction.

Nikam said citizens of the nation would on 4 June, the day of results for Lok Sabha polls, give their reply to such allegations, adding he wished not to dignify the “desperate disinformation” with a further response.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and Deputy CM Fadnavis said, “Our alliance is with Nikam, while Congress has joined hands with Kasab".

Shiv Sena spokesperson Kiran Pawaskar said NIA should arrest Wadettiwar and ask him why he was defending Kasab.

Pawaskar criticized the Congress for allegedly supporting terrorists and expressed surprise at the silence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the matter.

“From Wadettiwar’s statement, it appears Congress is supporting terrorists who attacked Mumbai. More shocking is the fact that Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has maintained silence over the episode,” he said.

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News Network
May 18,2024

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Bengaluru, May 18: JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, who turned 92 on Saturday, broke his silence on the sexual abuse charges leveled against his grandson and MP Prajwal Revanna. He stated that he has no objection to the action taken against him if found guilty. However, he mentioned that the cases against his son, JD(S) MLA HD Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual harassment and kidnapping of a woman, were 'created'. He refrained from further commenting as the matter is sub judice.

Recently, Gowda announced his decision not to celebrate his birthday and requested well-wishers and party workers to wish him from wherever they are.

"... I don't want to comment on things that are going on in the court regarding Revanna. Prajwal Revanna has gone abroad. Regarding that, Kumaraswamy (Gowda's other son and state JD(S) chief) has, on behalf of our family, said it is the duty of the government to take action in accordance with the law of the land," Gowda said.

Addressing reporters, the former PM said, "There are several people connected to these sexual abuse cases. I don't want to mention anyone's names. Kumaraswamy has stated that those involved in this matter should face action, and the affected women should get justice and compensation."

"There is no objection from us to taking action against Prajwal. But people have come to know the facts about the allegations made against Revanna, how the case has been created. In one case, he has been granted bail, and in another case, the judgment is expected day after tomorrow... I don't want to comment on it," he said, concurring with Kumaraswamy's statement that if found guilty, no one should be spared.

Prajwal (33) is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. The scandal has sparked a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.

Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against him in an effort to bring him back.

He was the BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls on April 26.

Meanwhile, Gowda's 66-year-old son, Revanna, a former Minister, has been granted interim anticipatory bail from a court here in a sexual harassment case in which his son Prajwal is also an accused.

Asked whether there was a conspiracy to defame and politically scuttle his family, Gowda said, "It is true... considering all that has happened, several people are involved. I won't mention names. Kumaraswamy will address what action needs to be taken."

Responding to a query on BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda's allegations that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is behind the circulation of a pen drive containing explicit videos involving Prajwal Revanna, Gowda said Kumaraswamy will respond to all of this.

"We have seen in the media what Devaraje Gowda has said. Kumaraswamy, as the party's state President, has been actively responding to all this. He will speak. I won't at this point. I had campaigned for the Lok Sabha polls. On June 4, after the Lok Sabha poll results are announced, I will meet with you (media)," he added.

Gowda also appealed to media persons campaigning near his house to end it. "I also appeal to your owners."

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