On Saturday October 3rd, an Indian national had been caught at a Leicester-based factory working under a false identity.
Leicester Mercury reported that Ranjit Kumar’s visa applications to the UK were rejected four times before he entered the country illegally. Kumar then used forged documents and identification to secure a job under a false name. This happened despite regulatory checks at the Singh Clothing (Leic) Ltd, in Brighton and the worker in the factory was caught during Covid-19 compliant checks.
Leicester Crown Court heard that 36-year-old Kumar was stopped by an officer who saw him trying to avoid them by using a fire exit. When questioned, he had showed a Portuguese ID card with his photograph, but in someone else’s name. His home in Haynes Road in Leicester, was searched, and a number of wage slips were found all in false names. Apparently, his employers were unaware of his illegal status.
Recorder James Smith told the defendant, "You've clearly been working for a period of time in the UK, earning just over £5,000. The ID card was a carefully crafted false document bearing your photograph and someone else's details.
"You knew your entry into the UK wasn't permitted and you had no right to remain, having been refused a visa on four earlier occasions, between 2014 and 2016."
The Court heard that Kumar’s “true identity” was revealed only through a portable fingerprint scanner.”
Kumar, who had no previous convictions, has been jailed for 12 months. According to the paper, he admitted possessing a false Portuguese ID card with improper intent, and fraudulently using it to obtain a National Insurance number and employment.
According to reports, there are over 20,000 Indians primarily from Goa who have come to the UK on Portugese passports as of December 2016. Most of these Indians are living pre-dominantly in Swindon, Leicester and Birmingham besides London.
