Crime Monitor In various Gulf countries corruption and white collar crimes have been rarely reported in the media, especially when the culprits involved are powerful businessmen or bureaucrats. The recent trend indicates that the governments are fed up with white collar crime which involved money, wasta (official influence), wine and in some cases even women
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In Oman the Government has been seriously following a number of investigations into corruption and white collar crimes. In six months time at least 20 leading officials in banks, private companies eta have been put behind bars. Even a former minister and leading businessman has been put behind bars for indulging in financial scandals. In many such crimes the involvement of expatriates in general and the Malayalis in particularly is also coming out.
There are other crimes also committed by Indians leaving bad name for the large number of ordinary Indians who live peacefully.
In a recent case, 16 people including the second in command at the Central Bank of Oman have been convicted of fraud and forgery to cheat an Institute of Banking and Financial Studies, a training institute of the Central Bank of Oman.
The Criminal Court of Oman has issued a judgement against Mahmood bin Mohammed bin Shahdan (Omani Citizen), Director General of the Institute and Mahendrakumar Sanjeev (or Singvi), an Indian national working with the institute as Accountant guilty of embezzlement by forgery and sentenced them to five years of imprisonment along with a fine of three times the amount they had embezzled.
The court convicted them for misappropriation of authority and sentenced them for two years imprisonment.Hamed bin Hamoud bin Hamdoon, director of administration and financial affairs at the institute is also convicted for abuse of authority and sentenced for six months imprisonment and handed down Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz bin Kalmoor, Chairman of the Institute and the second seniormost official in the Central Bank of Oman one year imprisonment. However the execution of sentances would be stayed for both.
Moosa bin Abdul Rahman bin Khamis, senior director of auditing at the CBO was found guilty of forging official records and sentenced him to three years imprisonment. Among the expatriates the court sentenced Manor Kumar (Indian) who was working with Suleiman Al Hadhrami Trading Company, Shafi Ameen Parker (Indian) maintenance in charge with the institute, Santhosh Villain (Indian) Computer Engineer at the Muscat College for Admnistrtion Science and Technology, Sandeep Bandari (Indian) Chief accountant with Golden Auditing Office Joseph Kurian (Indian) an artist working in a newspaper and Shabeer Ali Muni (Indian) working with Haider Oathman Trading Company.
The involvement of a well known businessman--C.A.Abdul Kareem, Managing Director of Three Star Corporation and his son in law Azad Ahmed Kabeer, sales manager of the same company in financial fraud shocked the Indian community here. Three Star Corporation , the leading distributor of newspapers, used to supply office stationary, books, periodicals and other items to the Institute. All the culprits made fictitious records and swindled huge amount from the organisation.
Other Indians involved in the case include Abdul Rasheed Ghulami Ali, Indian maintenance manager of Suleiman Al Khadhrami Establishment and Fakhir Ahmed Saeem, Pakistani, commercial manager of Rahet Trading Company. The execution of the sentance was stayed and the expatriates deported.
The sensational case has revealed the manner in which bureaucrats, businessmen and small time traders joined hands to dupe an institution. According to informed sources, this is only the beginning and a number of ongoing investigations will be more revealing .
Even though there were other dimensions to the fraud, it is not made public. The Chief culprit in this case started a vegetarian hotel just below the office premises of the Institute.An investigation started because the main culprit was doing business with resources more than his monthly earnings from the institute.
Nassar Puthuparampil Shams, Indian Passport Number A3420576 is reported to be absconding from his job since June 2001. Nassar is allegedly absconding from his job as Sawarma maker (a type of Arab sandwich). Basateem Seema Trading Company owners Khalifa bin Saloom bin Kalfan al Hadrami informed the labour office. Nasser is given fifteen days time from June 20 to dispute the allegation and report his case to the Labour Ministry of Oman.