BENGALURU: “It’s been four nights since I slept. Thoughts of suicide cross my mind every now and then. I not only lost my job but also the money that I had invested in IMA. I am also responsible for the money invested by at least 30 of my relatives,” said Afshan Banu (name changed). She is one of the 200 employees of IMA Jewels who are now running from pillar to post seeking help from the police.
Many IMA employees are now left in the lurch as their original documents are with the company’s HR team. Nearly 50 IMA employees and their managers have filed complaints with the police commissioner seeking help to get back their original documents. A manager of IMA’s Jayangar showroom said, “We wanted to meet the commissioner but since he was not there we met a senior officer and filed a complaint. Unfortunately, they too don’t know what to do.”
Since the original documents are with IMA, these employees cannot even look for other jobs now. “If you can do us one favour then please get us another job. Just like me, there are 35 more women who used to work in two jewellery showrooms and who have families to take care of. Some of us are single parents with two or three children. How do we lead our lives when our every single penny is pledged at IMA?” said Ratna G (name changed), an employee.
Meanwhile, the employees have also approached the labour court with receipts of salary being credited to their accounts by IMA. “There are heaps of pages in terms of documents that have been submitted to the labour court. We got our salaries till last month but this month we haven’t received any money,” said Raheem, an employee.
‘In their eyes we are culprits’
Unfortunately, these employees cannot even go to the help desk set up by the police at Shivajinagar as they are scared of what the investors might do to them. “Most of the investors have put in their money after we assured them saying that we had invested too, which is true. Now, we are the culprits for them but we are helpless too.
We cannot even think of going near that convention hall to lodge a complaint. We will be lynched,” an employee said. Another employee, Sahira Begum, said, “Our relatives have invested with IMA since we worked there and they believed that their money was safe. On Eid we all met but now we can’t see each other eye to eye. It is unfortunate.”
False WhatsApp message doing the rounds
A WhatsApp message is going viral about an advocate saying that he is handling the case on IMA’s behalf. The advocate named is Syed Isthiaq Ahmed. The message that is being forwarded reads: “Syed Isthiaq Ahmed is the legal advisor for IMA. He is uncle of Mansoor. He knows all the details of properties of IMA and Mansoor.” When contacted, Ahmed said, “I am not related to Mansoor. It was only a professional relation we had. It is a false message that is being circulated.”