Thirty-two-year-old Ram Prasad Chaudhary of Kailari at Basauiti VDC in Kailali has landed in Qatar jail for carrying a parcel of medicine sent to someone else. 

No sooner had he touched down at Qatar airport than the police there arrested him. At the request of Bishnu Shrestha, Proprietor of Sabi Grocery Store located in Basundhara, Kathmandu, Chaudhary had carried medicine to the Gulf. Bishnu had sent the medicine to his friend working there. Chaudhary had carried opidol manufactured by Deurali Janata Pharmaceuticals Company. 

Chaudhary had reached Qatar after receiving labour contract to work at Pearl Harbour Trading Company on July 16, 2013. According to Chaudhary’s relative Rajendra, Ram spent nine months in detention. After that, he was released on bail amount of Qatar Riyal 6,000. But, Qatari High Court has handed down one-year jail term and slapped a fine of 20, 000 Riyal on Chaudhary. 

Following the verdict, Chaudhary has been kept in jail from last Monday. His family has sent the 20,000 Riyal to secure his release.

Bishnu Shrestha, however, said he had sent the same medicine many times through Qatar-bound people. “I wonder whether it was Ram’s misfortune or mine. Opidol is taken to lessen pain,” Shrestha said. 

Two migrant workers from Masuriya VDC of Kailali are doing time in Saudi Arabia’s jail. 

Dhan Bahadur BK and Dan Bahadur Air have been languishing in jail on the charge of resorting to vandalism at the company. Police there have registered a case at the court against them seeking jail sentence with Rs 20 million Nepali currency fine. 

BK and Air have been remanded to custody for investigation. Dhan Bahadur’s father Labire Kami said that Air and BK were thrown behind bars when they staged a strike after they were not provided the job of electricians as pledged before they left for the Gulf country. 

“My son was not provided the job as pledged. When he protested, he was jailed. How can a poor man like me afford to pay the fine?” Lalbire wondered.

Published on: 2 March 2015 | The Himalayan Times