Several Indian maids among 78 jailed

Dubai Jun 5: Seventy eight absconding housemaids including several Indians have been jailed in Dubai for working for people other than their sponsors.

They will be in jail for two months and then deported. The others were mostly Indonesians and Filipinas and were picked up from the upmarket Jumerira area. The employers of absconders, which included nationals, would also be summoned for interrogation, said the Chief Prosecutor. ''As per the law, none should hire someone who is not sponsored by him. We are more worried about the employers than about the housemaids'', the Khaleej Times quoted him as saying.

He said the penalty of illegal hiring was a fine of Dh 50,000 or a jail sentence. ''For those who don't have money to pay the fine they will serve a jail sentence whereas each Dh 100 is equivalent to one day in jail,'' he added.

Many nationals sell visa to housemaids which is illegal and allow them to work outside. In many cases the maids run away after abuse and getting not paid, the prosecutor informed.

UNI