Panaji: Eight from Goa were duped
in Albania and forced to live in precarious conditions before
they were rescued by the Indian government, an official said
on Tuesday.
NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro said that a Goa-based
agent conned the women, who were part of a group of 20, from
India, who were sent to Albania to work in a bag manufacturing
workshop.
"All 20 women were sent to Albania by a Goa-based
agent and we will act against him, once we receive complaint
from the victims," the NRI Commissioner said appealing the
women to lodge a complaint.
He said that the agent `cheated` the women by assuring
them to pay 20 US dollars per day but were actually paid 2 US
dollars.
"They were dumped in a dark room without food for days
together when they protested against the lower pay scale,"
Faleiro said.
"We don`t have an embassy in Albania so I contacted
Secretary and Joint secretary in charge of Central Europe in
our Ministry of External affairs," said Faleiro, former Union
minister of state for external affairs.
He said 17 women were repatriated to India so far by
the Union government while remaining three preferred to stay
back in Albania.
Faleiro expressed concern over growing instances of
fraud by some unscrupulous recruiting agents saying the NRI
commissionerate has decided to put in place a committee that
would oversee such cases.
These agents are not booked with Protector General of
Immigrants and many a times, travel agents double up as
recruitment agents, he added.
PTI
