Minor crimes (a legal question)

Years ago I was a young punk and while in Goa I slipped away from a hotel bill of about 15,000 rupees. I know the owners had my passport info and guess they probably reported me to the authorities. I also did some shoplifting and goods were left in my room. I don't justify my actions in any way. Messed up kids do shit and I was one.

But I want to return to India this year and I wonder how the legal system works? Is there cross-state jurisdiction (I'm pulling terms of my tongues edge here), could this deny me a visa? Should I be fine even in Goa?

I understand some of you may be appalled and as I said this is nothing I'm proud of, but I did keep my s-lifting to the big-ass super markets. My inner values were sorta my guide on that one twisted marxist trip.

Cheers,
Karl

I'll bet there are hundreds of 'punks' like your past presence that have done similar acts and never had a second thought about returning to Ma India.

Why don't you contact the hotel & attempt to wire them the money you owe them for starters? Are you prepared to do at least that, now that you've admittedly matured? It's never too late as they say & it would take a load of weight of your conscience, karma quotient & paranoia factor for that potential next trip.

How long ago was this? 15,000 rupees is still a substantial sum of meoney and a few decades ago it was a fortune.

How big does a retail outlet have to be to be called "big-ass" in your classification?

You can always apply for a visa? At worst you will be denied one.

And wonder how big were these Big-ass supermarkets. Because its only the past few years that organised players got into it.

No, at worst, he could be granted one ...and met at the airport. But I think it would take a bigger more recent crime for that to happen.
Good idea.
I guess so, yes. Trying not to be judgemental...

Years ago should've been a few years ago. More specifically three, so I'm still young, but a bit less of a punk. Admittedly most of the supermarkets weren't the big complexes with guards and cameras, but still, I know the owners had more meat on their bones than me at the time. I'm not gonna pull a life story out of my ass but I kinda had reasons.

But as I understand a crime committed in one state can get you arrested in any of them?

Or come to think of it, every one of them had cameras and 'lookout boys'. But only a few were the glassy high end ones with uniformed guards.

Three years isn't such a long time. Even if the authorities don't have you on thier radar you could still be on the All-India hotel owners' blacklist.

Three years ago is also recent enough for immigration records to have been computerised. I think, but I'm far from sure, that it is not quite recent enough for those records to have been centralised.

Stay away man its not worth it , if you get caught , you'll go to prison and you'll put your parents or friends in trouble as they'll have arrange a lawyer for you!

A vegetable vendor wrongly accused of stealing RS.200 spent years in prison and finally accepted that he stole in order to get out because by then he had already served his prison term.Its not a minor crime in the eyes of the law , you'll be in deep if things go wrong!

http://www.rtbot.net/play.php?id=FJKtqLDFALI
Couldn't find the English version!

A man wanted for stealing cylinders caught and sent to prison after 19 years, by now he was a successful businessman worth 16 crores!


Just wire the money with interest to owners of the hotel, or else someone else will steal it again!

If you are seriously considering a return to Goa, my advice would be to make sure your medical insurance is up-to-date as the 'legal questions' are probably the least of your potential problems. Goans who have been 'stiffed' by deadbeats have very good memories and their own way of dealing with these matters which generally don't involve police or immigration.

I am less optimistic than Peak in the prodigal son approach given what was written by the OP. Still, sounds like a petty thief, at least in heart, to me. !5K was a felony so better not to go back with that potential. Lets see, 15K with interest compounded annually over how many years. I don't think that the hotel owner should hold their breath..

3 years Edward, so not a kings ransom.

If you met someone who robbed more than a months wages off you walking down the street 3 years later, how would you react?
And somehow, I doubt you'd forget them...
Pay up & apologise before you go back...

₹15,000 plus 3 years interest compounded @ 13% (fair for India) is just over ₹21,000 - if it's nearer 4 years call it ₹23,000.

AndyD 8-)₹

To best of my knowledge I am sure that police, immigration records would have been computerised three years ago. I do know passports were computerised in (possibly before) 2008 - and a person's face doesn't change much in three years so hotel people would know you.

My answer would be either stay right away from India, or be prepared to pay the money in full to the hotel - 15,000 rupees is a lot of money for a hotel to lose. (And in their eyes this is not a 'minor' crime). I agree with Nick - you may find on arrival you will have a nasty experience.