By James Simons-
A fraudulent shopkeeper has been jailed for nine years after making half a million pounds by illegally bringing 188 migrants into the UK .
Shopkeeper Malkeet Rathod portrayed a clean cut image by setting up two charities- The Guru Nanak Mission UK and The Sri Guru Nanak Jot Mission Sikh Society. The fraudster used the charities as a front that portrayed him to be a sponsor for migrants entering the country under false pretences that they were religious workers. Another property in old lane , Birkenshaw revealed stamps used to validate bogus documents that included one from Delhi Airport and a solicitors office, and fictional educational establishments.
Rathod then charged Indian nationals large sums of money to enter the UK, bringing in a total of 188 migrants during a five year period between 2008 and 2013.A dawn raid at his business premise in Featherstone lane led police to £26,000 in cash in a brief case. Banking records showed £594,000 had floated through his account and that of his wife and sister in law.
The crook charged up to £4,000 to act as their sponsor in order for them to gain entry as religious leaders for the Sikh community. However, most of his disillusioned customers ende up being destitute with no jobs or even basic subsistence like food when they finally arrived. Rathod himself had entered the Uk in 1999 as a religious migrant, becoming a naturalized citizen in 2007 after being granted indefinite leave to remain. Condemning him to a long 9 year jail sentence for fraud by false representation, Judge Batty stated:
“This was fraud that goes to the very heart of the immigration system in this country. “The sponsorship system is based on trust. Conduct of people like you undermines the confidence the public has in that system. “It raises suspicion against those who have come to this country legitimately and those who provide a genuine service to citizens of this country. “Those who were not entitled to come to this country utilized public services which they would not have been entitled to.” Rathod came to the UK in 1999 as a “religious migrant”.
“You had seen through your own experience how the immigration system, and particularly the sponsorship system for religious work, operated.” Rathod set himself up as a sponsor for people entering the country pretending to be religious workers. He initially brought his parents to the UK in 2006. The judge said: “It is clear from that time that you saw an opportunity to do this on a much larger scale involving a large number of migrants, sensing as you did the rich rewards you could reap from it.”
Rathod also had computers installed with programmes which could incorporate logos for the Home Office and Barclays Bank. Rathod’s wife, Manpreet, 44, was convicted of money laundering and given a six-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, plus 100 hours unpaid work. Her 44 year old sister-in-law Saroj Kaur,from Coventry, was convicted of two offences of money laundering. She was given four months, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours unpaid work.
Rathod who owns a store has now ruined his family reputation completely. His dodgy dealings is now public and he has brought shame to his entire family. Unfortunately for his disappointed clients their money has gone to waste. The police and immigration officials are working on deporting them, putting them in a more embarrassing and sad state than they were.