Interpol in Abu Dhahi is learnt to have arrested Uthup Varghese, who is being investigated by the CBI for allegedly defrauding over 1,600 Kerala nurses recruited for Kuwait.

Varghese, who runs the Kochi-based Al Saraf manpower recruitment agency, was arrested by Interpol three days ago following a Red Corner alert issued by the international police agency on a request by the CBI. He is likely to be brought back to India shortly to stand trial in the "nurses recruitment scam". He is the third accused in the case while L. Adolfus, the arrested Protector of Emigrants of Kochi, is the first accused.

Varghese, who is alleged to have extorted a huge sum of money from around 1,600 nurses his agency had recruited for the Kuwait Health Ministry, fled to Kuwait after the CBI raided his business and issued an arrest warrant against him. He had allegedly demanded and received nearly Rs 20 lakh each from those recruited for Kuwait, 100 times more than the fee he was entitled to charge. Adolfus, who had facilitated the extortion, had received money from Varghese for the illegal activity.

Varghese had, following the Interpol’s Red Corner alert, moved the court seeking anticipatory bail, but the Supreme Court rejected his application as he had absconded to Kuwait.

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