Indian man freed after 3.5 years in Saudi prison with Sant Seechewal’s efforts

Driven by the dream of keeping his family’s kitchen fire burning, a young man from Kapurthala district, Akshay Kumar (name changed), went to Saudi Arabia for work. However, he was falsely accused of theft by his employer and imprisoned. After enduring over three and a half years of imprisonment, exceeding his 10-month sentence, he has finally returned home, thanks to the tireless efforts of Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal.

Akshay Kumar shared that he was never informed about the item he was accused of stealing. He revealed that many Indian youths in Saudi prisons are similarly trapped in false cases and have been languishing there for years. Akshay recalled that even after completing his sentence, he was kept behind bars for two more years, and he had lost all hope of ever seeing life beyond the high prison walls.

His wife explained that her husband had been working as a driver in Saudi Arabia for several years. In 2022, he returned home on a two-month leave, but after going back, all contact with him was lost for months. Finally, on August 25, 2023, she reached out to Sant Seechewal’s office for help. Following his intervention, it was discovered that Akshay Kumar had been charged with theft and sentenced to 10 months in jail. Even after his sentence had ended, the company demanded 31,000 Riyals (around Rs 7.25 lakh) for his release — an amount far beyond the family’s means.

The family, already struggling financially, was facing severe hardship, and even the children’s education was being affected. Left with no options, they again approached Sant Seechewal, whose dedicated efforts ensured that Akshay was released and safely brought back to India without paying a single penny.

Sant Seechewal expressed concern over the ongoing exploitation of Indian labourers in Arab countries, stating that many innocent workers are falsely implicated in theft cases and punished because such cases are processed quickly. He emphasised the need for the Indian government to implement a strong policy to prevent such exploitation and ensure justice for Indian citizens trapped abroad.