Seven Indians jailed for forgery in Singapore

Seven Indians are among 25 foreign employees jailed between four and 12 weeks for submitting forged academic certificates to obtain work passes in this city-state.

Among the foreign 25 employees, 16 are from Myanmar, and two from the Philippines, the Today Online reported Saturday.

Twenty-one of them are men and four are women.

The defendants had obtained the forged certificates in their home countries and used them to apply for work passes between Nov 2, 2012, and June 7, 2013.

Singapore's manpower ministry said that the 25 accused were issued 20 S passes (work permits given to mid-level skilled foreigners in Singapore) and five employment passes (a person who has a job offer in Singapore can apply for these passes) based on their forged educational certificates.

The ministry said it launched investigations between last November and December, 2013, and discovered after checking with the relevant institutions and respective foreign government departments that the certificates were forged.