${BIN_DIR}/tapeloadListing.pl >> ${LOGS_DIR}/corps.${VERSION_DATE}.l
+og #2>&1
        if (( $? == 0 )); then
                echo "PERL script used to get the tapeload snapshot ra
+n successfully"
        else
                echo "PERL script used to get the tapeload snapshot fa
+iled, hence aborting the script as the files can't be downloaded" | m
+ailx -s "CORP V2 BUILD ERROR - ${VERSION_DATE}" ${MAIL_ADMIN}
                exit 1;
        fi
[download]

The perl code

$fh  =  new FileHandle;
$fh -> open("< /export/home/$ADMIN/pwds/ftp_pass.txt") or die "Error o
+pening FTP password file, $!";
   $TAPELOAD_PWD = sprintf <$fh>;
$fh -> close;
print $TAPELOAD_PWD
chomp($TAPELOAD_PWD);
[download]

If I put in a totally incorrect user in the perl code, the KSH script still continues to run which I want to exit immediately.