An Indian national, who is wanted in Qatar for allegedly forging company documents, was arrested by agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Dagupan City last August 14.
In a statement, the BI identified him as Narayan Murlidhar Nathani who has been wanted by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) based on an arrest order issued by the Misdemeanor Court of Doha in 2014.
Nathani reportedly forged purchase order bills in violation of the Penal Code of Qatar, it said.
It also said that he falsified purchase order bills for a Qatari company and acquired goods without providing payments. Online articles connect him to syndicated scams in other countries as well, it added.
The BI said that Nathani arrived in the Philippines as a tourist in 2016 and has not extended his visa since then.
It said the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were able to locate him in a residential area, where he was arrested. He was transferred to the BI’s facility in Taguig where he will remain detained while facing deportation proceedings.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado lauded the arrest and warned foreign fugitives in the Philippines that their arrests are just a matter of time.
Viado warned: “Fraudsters and scammers have no place in our country. We are working closely with our foreign counterparts to dismantle any such operations. Foreign nationals involved in criminal activities will be arrested and deported."