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Visa fraud judge slams 'inadequate' Home Office
Peter Dominiczak4 Jun 2009
Britain's border controls were described as "woefully inadequate" after an Indian solicitor and his two wives were jailed overBritain's biggest visa racket.
Illegal immigrants Jatinder Kumar Sharma, 44, and his wife Rakhi Shahi, 31, were jailed for running a "fraud factory" where they helped more than 1,000 illegal immigrants into the country using fake documents.
Neelam Sharma, 38, who lived with the pair in Southall and was also married to Sharma, was found guilty of handling some of the £1.5million which poured into the business, Univisas.
When police raided the company's office in Southall they found 90,000 documents including false university certificates, academic records, bank statements and pay slips.
Most of the migrants who used the scam were from India but about 150 were from Pakistan, raising fears of a possible terror route.
Prosecutor Francis Sheridan said this was a "damning indictment" of failures by the Government. He said Home Office employees failed to spot discrepancies in certificates and wage slips.
Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson said: "The checks were woefully inadequate and frequently non-existent."
Shahi was jailed for eight years after jurors at Isleworth crown court yesterday found her guilty of conspiracy to defraud, handling criminal property and immigration offences.
Sharma pleaded guilty and was jailed for seven years. Neelam Sharma was jailed for four years but cleared of conspiracy to defraud and immigration offences.
Reader views (8)
- Dirk Diggler of course we knew this was happening We are just not allowed to say anthing because it offends. Like everything these days we are not allowed to be offended but others are allowed to offend us
- Jessica, London, 05/06/2009 09:03
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Like we, the British people, had no idea this was happening all the time as London has been swamped with mass numbers of immigrants over the past decade(mostly third world migrants) and the white population now a minority in the UK's own capital. It's simply shameful that this can happen in modern day Britain; immigrants entering on bogus documents that have not been checked or veryfied. It time to change this government and overhaul everything.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London, 04/06/2009 15:29
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Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson said: "The checks were woefully inadequate and frequently non-existent."
Sick reading if you care about this country!
Jeremy E yes and you could have a point, good time to bury bad news...
- Gary, Brentwood 1, 04/06/2009 15:12
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Well done Sharma ji appreciate your efforts to earn lot of money 1.5 million GBP. You have opened another Home Office with the coordination Corydon Home Office running fraud factory and helping 7000 peoples not 1000. They are supporting their families as well they are arranging their food at old age. They are not claiming public funds, but contributing in national revenue. It is a noble cause which govt is not doing. These illegal immigrants are working very hard with minimum wages. It is damning indictment and failures by the Government institution. Home Office employees failed to spot discrepancies in certificates and sharing with this gang.
Everyday there are new issued about ghost colleges, sex slave, etc. Some of the fake company’s providing jobs to illegal immigrants or students at minimum wages which white skin not accepted. It is responsibilities of the Home Office that they adopt unfair means and supporting such fraud factories to flourish their business in millions. Tax department did not scrutinize their source of income. It is amazing. MP’s are involving in cash expenses cases……… what about others. These human beings are living more than 5 year, they came here for their bright future which is the basic right and they are struggling to achieve their goal. Since sixties foreigners are coming UK for the betterment of their life. Most of them are successful and earned good name in private and govt sectors.
- M A Chishty, London, 04/06/2009 14:45
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Shouldn't they also be charged with bigamy or do we have yet another example of diferent laws for diferent folks. I would also add that unless they are UK born citizens they should have their citizenship withdrawn and they should be deported. Think that what they have done is an abuse of our hospitality.
- Gazza, london, 04/06/2009 11:36
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Of course these illegal immigrants will only serve a couple of years, then upon release apply for asylum and receive it along with all the benefits that this incompetent government can throw at them.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 04/06/2009 11:29
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One has to wonder if, at a political level, this incompetence is deliberate?
- Jeremy E, Home Counties, 04/06/2009 11:01
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Tell us something we did not know
- Ge, Kernow, 04/06/2009 09:41
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