An 80-year-old man from Nagapattinam district has moved the Madras High Court seeking the production of his son and 14 others, who, he said, are working as bonded labourers in Malaysia, before the court and set them at liberty.
In his petition filed through counsel, M. Pari, the petitioner P. Sathasivam of Asanakudi, Nannilam taluk, submitted that his son, Anbalagan, and 14 others, all Indian citizens, were working as labourers in a hotel restaurant under one Raja Mohammed and his wife at Bandar Manjalara Kepong Post, Kuala Lumpur, from 2008. The petitioner said he received information from his son on telephone and through letters that he and the 14 others had been put in a dark room in the hotel without food and water.
They were compelled to work throughout the month without rest days. Whenever they asked for their salary they were threatened by the hotel staff and false complaints were registered against them.
They were being treated as slaves. Their lives were in danger. Such treatment was against Indian and Malaysian laws as well as in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He had made a representation to the authorities on September 20, but no effective steps had been taken. Hence, the present petition.
