We have read that in this Kaliyug, offenders receive justice and innocents are punished for the crime they never committed. Jayaram’s life exemplifies this concept of Kaliyug. He became a prey to someone’s conspiracy and suffered torments in Saudi. In Jayaram’s story as much pain of inhumanity, we see, hopes of humanity can also found.
Jayaram who lived in Mangalore with his beautiful wife and a daughter moves to Saudi and joins the cold store trading company as a supervisor to earn a good income for his daughter’s bright future. He was inherited with the virtue of honesty which soil of Tulunaadu always bestows. He works day and night in the company for six years. He had won his colleagues heart with his good conduct.
We never know what lies ahead. Even Jayaram was unaware of forthcoming ordeals. In October 2014, two olive oil containers get stolen from the company. The company accuses him for the theft and keeps him in a deserted place. After two months, the owner of the company asks him to sign a letter typed in Arabic. Jayaram who already had suffered much torture signed the letter without giving it much thought. It was too late before he could realize. He had admitted the offense by signing the letter which he never did and he was put behind the bars. The court of Saudi, on the basis of documents, sentenced him 8months imprisonment and whippings on every 15days.
According to the judgment, his imprisonment duration was from October 2014 to august 2015. But he wasn’t released even after 8 months elapsed. His ordeals didn’t end. His wife Geeta and brother in law Hari Alwa’s attempts to get help from the embassy went futile. His family began losing their heart thinking Jayaram’s life would end in that desert. Perhaps after seeing Jayram’s immense pain and his wife’s attempts God finally opened his eyes.
On August 17, 2015, Hari Alwa, on his friend’s suggestion contacted Shodhan Prasad, a film producer. Shodhan Prasad had helped someone in that kind of case earlier. After hearing Jayram’s heart-rending story, Shodhan Prasad brushed aside all his work and set to work. He used his all contacts. A lawyer from Riyad, P.A.Hameed joined his hand with Shodhan Prasad. But getting justice in Saudi wasn’t a piece of cake. Their appeals were ignored by human right organization and dynasty of Saudi. When Shodhan Prasad found no other way to get Jayram back, he remembered one person, our foreign minister Sushma Swaraaj.
On December 9, 2015, he contacted Sushma Swaraaj and submitted all the documents of Jayram Shetty’s case. The call from Sushma Swaraaj’s office was a ray of hope for dejected Shodhan Prasad. Soon Shodhan Prasad with the guidance of ministry of External affairs contacted Saudi embassy and elucidated the true facts to the court. Company’s fabricated story was not fitting with the events happened on the day of the theft. On that day, Jayram like every day worked from 8 AM to 6 PM. The theft happened after 6 o’clock when he was already set off to home. Moreover, the theft occurred outside his supervising area. So he had nothing do to with the theft.
Later it came to know that the company had filed another fake case. But with the intervention of Indian government company had to admit its defeat. Jayram was proved to be innocent and released from the jail.
But it didn’t end so easily. Company’s owner had seized Jayram’s passport. On Shodhan Prasad’s request, Saudi embassy gave him the documents to get back to India. The organization called, “Nama Tuluver” in Dubai arranged tickets to Jayram. Finally, Jayram returned to his homeland after suffering all the torments for more than a year.
Shodhan Prasad who had played a role of villain in Ranjit Bajpe’s directorial “Dand” became a real life hero. Besides ministers like Sushma Swaraaj are not letting our faith on democracy to fail.
Translation from Readoo Kannada article by Dinesh Bangera to English by Shruthi Bhat.
