Murthy unhappy over US probe on B-1 visa issue

Infosys' outgoing chairman and chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy Saturday expressed disappointment over a US court issuing a legal notice to the IT bellwether on its reported misuse of B-1 visa rules.

Infosys' outgoing chairman and chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy Saturday expressed disappointment over a US court issuing a legal notice to the IT bellwether on its reported misuse of B-1 visa rules.

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"As I leave the board, I feel sad that Infosys, voted most often as India's most respected company during the period 1995-2011, has been issued a subpoena by a grand jury in the US on the B-1 visa issue. The issue will be decided on its merits in due course," Murthy told his shareholders at the 30th annual general meeting (AGM) here.

Though a district court in Texas May 23 served the legal notice to the company on the alleged violation of visa rules, the management decided to contest it and clarify its position to clear the air.

Asserting that the blue chip company would strengthen its well-acclaimed and much respected focus on embracing meritocracy and transparency, Murthy said during the last three decades he had never compromised on values, and advocated openness in discussions on the importance of values at every level in the organisation.

In a regulatory filing, the company admitted that any action by the US government against it in this regard would seriously affect its business in the North America market, which accounts for about 60 percent of its export revenue.

The US immigration authorities issues B1 visas for short-term visits to attend business seminars and restrict employees from engaging in gainful employment during their stay.

The global software major has about 10,000 of its software engineers on H-1B visas and 2-200 on L1 working in the US.