Gajula Srinivas
Hyderabad: The family of a Telangana man stranded in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, has sought the urgent intervention of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to bring him home after he was denied a final exit permit due to a ‘Matloob’ (wanted) case filed by his employer.
Gajula Srinivas, a 48-year-old from Gopulapur village in Buggaram mandal of Jagtial district, travelled to Saudi Arabia in 2017 on an Azad (free) visa to work as a labourer. His health deteriorated over time, and when he sought to return home, his employer accused him of stealing Saudi Riyals 12,000 (Rs 2,83,749). The complaint led to a police case and a travel ban, leaving him stranded in the Gulf country.
The case came to light when Srinivas’s son, Saikumar, submitted a petition during the CM Pravasi Prajavani programme at Praja Bhavan in Hyderabad, urging government assistance. The plea was supported by NRI Advisory Committee Vice-Chairman Mandha Bheem Reddy and Emigrants Welfare Forum representative Mohammed Basheer Ahmed.
Documents reviewed by Siasat.com show that the Telangana government referred the case to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh on October 28 through its General Administration (NRI) Department.
The Embassy acknowledged the letter and sought copies of his passport, visa, and Iqama, along with details of his employer and agent, to follow up with Saudi authorities.
Gollapelli Chandramouli, Srinivas’s brother based in Oman, said Saudi police had informed the family that the Matloob case has been withdrawn.
“We were told he will return to India next week. We thank the Telangana government and Manda Bheem Reddy garu for their efforts,” Chandramouli said.
Saikumar told Siasat.com that they are waiting for official confirmation. “They said the case is clear, but the clearance paper has not yet been issued,” he added.
According to his son, Srinivas’s health has worsened.
“Daddy’s BP is around 200, and he suffers from nerve weakness. He went to the Embassy for help, but they directed him to the police, where no one responded,” Saikumar said.
Saudi-based social worker Mohammad Farooq Ahmed, who has been assisting in the case, explained that both ‘Matloob’ and ‘Huroob’ (absconding) cases were registered against him.
“His sponsor (kafeel) passed away, delaying the process. We are coordinating with the Embassy for his early release,” he told Siasat.com.
A Matloob case refers to a police complaint that can block an expatriate’s exit from Saudi Arabia. Migrant-rights groups say it is sometimes misused against workers who leave due to unpaid wages or poor conditions.
A Huroob case is registered when a worker leaves employment without notifying the sponsor (kafeel), categorising them as a “runaway” employee under Saudi labour law.
This post was last modified on November 7, 2025 10:43 am