Abu Dhabi: Indian citizens detained by the UAE authorities on mistaken identity should immediately report the matter to the Indian embassy as they can get prompt relief thanks to a new mechanism developed by India and the UAE.

Sometimes some Indian citizens are detained or even arrested by the UAE authorities for having similar name of the accused in criminal cases in the UAE, M.K. Lokesh, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, said.

But a new mechanism is helping the embassy to take up such complaints with the UAE authorities and sort them out immediately, he told an Open House at the embassy in Abu Dhabi.

The Consular Working Group constituted last month between both the countries conducted its first meeting in New Delhi and made a mechanism to have regular interaction between officials to sort out consular and other issues, he said.

The group consists of officials from important ministries such as the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs etc [of both countries] is helping to solve the issues of citizens of both countries including the detention on mistaken identity, the ambassador explained.

The embassy conducted the Open House yesterday after a long interval. Indian citizens were able to take up their grievances with the ambassador directly. But only four residents came up with the grievances.

Vineesh Madakkara, a worker, said he had sought help from the embassy in August 2011 to get unpaid salaries, his passport detained by the Indian employer, and to lift a ban imposed by immigration authorities on an allegedly wrong absconding complaint filed by the employer in Abu Dhabi. The labour attaché at the embassy said he had helped him to secure the passport and the negotiation with the employer was ongoing. The ambassador said he himself would summon the Indian employer to sort out the matter.

Another complaint against an employer in Sharjah will be referred to Indian Consulate in Dubai, Lokesh said.

Uthup .M. Varghese complained that the staff at BLS, the agency taking care of Indian visa and passport services, do not treat the common people properly. The ambassador said the embassy has already taken up such complaints and action is being taken.

Shamseer Singh, a social worker, asked if relatives are suspicious about the cause of death of an Indian worker at worksites in the UAE, what action can be taken. If legal heirs of the deceased raises such complaints, the ambassador said, the embassy would take it up with the local authorities.