Coimbatore Overseas Job Scam: CBI Secures 14-Year Jail Term For Five Accused

(MENAFN- IANS) Coimbatore, March 28 (IANS) A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court sentenced six convicts in the Coimbatore overseas job scam to varying jail terms ranging from l4 years to four years, along with fines, an official said on Saturday.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate at Coimbatore, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced five private persons -- Pulliyil Cheriyan (Managing Director of the firm), Francis Arun, Asha Sharlet and Santosh William, to rigorous imprisonment for 14 years with a total fine of Rs 54 lakh, the CBI said in a statement.

Another convict, Preetha Kumari, was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for four years with a fine of Rs 2 lakh, it added.

They were all held guilty of cheating about 600 job aspirants from whom they collected huge sums of money -- about Rs 6 crore -- for placements in the UK and Cyprus, the CBI said.

The CBI Special Court also ordered the confiscation of their properties as well as sale of 448 grams gold ornaments seized during the investigation for giving as compensation to the victims of the scam, the central agency said.

The case, initially registered by the Kattoor police in Coimbatore city, was handed over to the CBI in 2011 on the orders of Madras High Court.

Subsequently, the CBI registered the case on March 18, 2011, against the eight accused, who were arrested in Mumbai.

It was alleged that the gang started a firm named Yanbo Associates in Gandhipuram in 2005.

The accused allegedly presented forged foreign employment permits and collected fees ranging from Rs 80,000 to Rs 3 lakh per person during 2005 and abruptly shut operations.

The firm lured mostly young professionals and labourers by promising high paying job in the UK and Cyprus, the statement said.

After investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet on March 21, 2012, against the accused.

"The CBI Special Court, after the 14-year trial, convicted and sentenced the convicts," the central agency said.

"During the trial, accused Narayanan Ramesh Babu, V.N. Shine and Benjamin William Sawer died, and the charges against them were abated," the CBI added.

While delivering the judgment, the CBI Special Court also ordered the payment of Rs 1.48 crore in compensation to the victims.

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