Abu Dhabi: What’s in a name? Ask Nelson Savier, an Indian cook in Abu Dhabi, whose life is hanging from a cliff — all because of his name.
It could be a case of mistaken identity or a well-orchestrated plan of impersonation, but Savier, 31, says he is paying the price for somebody else’s sin. “I was put in jail. My passport was confiscated by the police, and now I’m stuck in the country for almost two years: All because there is someone who shares my name,” Savier from Kerala, who works for the Armed Officers Club in Abu Dhabi, told XPRESS.
According to him he is not even able to travel to India and get married because his name has been blacklisted at the Sharjah Immigration instead of another Indian expatriate who happened to share the same name – Nelson Savier.
“It seems we are lookalikes. Even our parents’ names as mentioned in the passports are exactly the same – M.G. Savier and Mary,” said the cook.
Savier said he was arrested and put in jail in Abu Dhabi on May 9, 2012 when he flew back after a short visit to India. “It was only then I came to know there was a ban on me from Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department. At that time I was working in Abu Dhabi, and I have never visited Sharjah in my life,” said Savier.
He was released after three days after his company provided legal assistance. Ever since Savier has been trying to get his name cleared and retrieve his passport from the police.
So far all his pleas of innocence have fallen on deaf ears. “I have been trying to tell authorities to verify my passport number and date of birth against the other Nelson. Our names and pictures could be the same, but definitely not the passport identification number. But no one is listening,” said Savier.
But the plot thickens further when we learn the “once upon a time there were two lookalike Nelson Saviers” version of the story from a third person – Savier’s friend Joby.
“Joby told me the other Nelson was his partner in a company he was running in Sharjah. He had filed a case against Savier for misappropriating company funds, and he was in jail for a few years. Now he [Savier] is believed to be in Muscat.”
“I have not seen my namesake. But Joby has seen him and he said my namesake closely resembles me,” said the cook.
Nelson is unable to verify Joby’s version of the story, as his friend is not willing to share the passport copy of his ex-partner to help him prove his innocence.
Failed promise
“When I spoke to him last December, he had promised to give me the papers which could prove my innocence. But now Joby is not responding to my calls. I don’t even know whether he is in the country,” he said.
Last year, Savier’s father had a second heart attack. His mother is also not well. “I am innocent and do not deserve this. I want to go home and see my parents. Even my marriage proposals are all failing because of this mess I am in,” he added.
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