The family of 22-year-old M. Manikandan, a resident of Sengottai in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district, has appealed to the State government and district administration to facilitate his early return to India after his alleged arrest in Taiwan. The family has also accused a private job consultancy of cheating him by promising overseas employment and has sought legal action against the firm.
In a petition submitted during the weekly public grievance meeting at the Thoothukudi Collectorate, Manikandan’s father, V. Muthuramalingam, alleged that a Kovilpatti-based job consultancy promised his son a packing job in Taiwan and collected ₹4 lakh for arranging the employment. The consultancy allegedly assured a monthly salary of ₹70,000 to ₹80,000 along with free accommodation and food.
According to the family, Manikandan, an ITI graduate, travelled to Taiwan on February 14 and remained in regular contact with them. However, they were informed that he had been arrested by the Taiwan police about a week ago.
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Muthuramalingam alleged that the consultancy sent his son to Taiwan on a tourist visa instead of a valid work visa. He further claimed that the promised accommodation and other facilities were never provided, forcing Manikandan to take shelter in a church.
The family said they do not have the resources required to bring him back to India following his arrest. They have urged the district administration to coordinate with the State and Central governments to provide the necessary diplomatic and legal assistance for his early repatriation.
The family has also demanded a thorough investigation into the role of the consultancy and appropriate legal action against those responsible for allegedly misleading the youth. No official response from the authorities has been issued so far regarding the family’s representation.
