By Noor Toorani

A CLEARING agent, who forged the signature of a businesswoman on two visa application forms, was jailed for 12 months yesterday.

The High Criminal Court convicted the Bahraini man, 44, of fraud and forgery.

Prosecutors claimed the defendant was hired by a Bahraini businessman to fast track the process.

The 36-year-old man, who runs a tailoring shop on behalf of his sister, requested the defendant to submit two employment forms to the General Directorate for Nationality, Passport and Residence (GDNPR) and to fast track the process.

Forms were submitted for visas for two Indian workers, according to court documents.

However, the defendant told them the GDNPR didn’t accept the forms and refused to issue the employment visas.

The businessman later visited the GDNPR where an employee informed him that the visas were issued.

He allegedly forged the signature of the businesswoman, but denied it, claiming he was never given the visas.