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Visa scam language school is closed
By Hugh Dougherty, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 23.06.03A language school exposed by the Evening Standard as being at the centre of a visa scam has closed.
Evendine College operated three language centres in London but also acted as a "visa shop", providing false information to immigration authorities to let its "students" work illegally.
The college was put under investigation by the Home Office after the Evening Standard revealed how it offered to guarantee a student visa to a Czech journalist posing as an immigrant - despite her making clear she had no intention of studying.
But today it was revealed the college had closed with staff and students being greeted by a notice on the door of its Oxford Street premises.
Hundreds of legitimate students were locked out and left angry by the sudden closure.
Staff were told in a letter from the company not to come to work.
Students had been handing over cash to pay for their courses until a week ago and many were due to sit exams within days.
Today the school's owner, 55-year-old Suresh Malhotra had left the Grosvenor Square headquarters.
He could not be contacted at the home in Iver, Buckinghamshire, at which company records show he lives - or at another house in Slough where he is registered to vote.
Staff are now consulting lawyers over the cash they are owed. One teacher, who worked for the college's Wimbledon branch, said: "I am owed £800 in backpay, and some people are owed more than that."
A student, who asked not to be named, said: "I paid more than £800 for a 12-week course which will help my career at home. I feel very let down."
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