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Cook Indian curry to survive deportation: The Hindustan Times
London, Apr 04: Cooking hot Indian curry seems to be a sure way to escape deportation.
London, Apr 04: Cooking hot Indian curry seems to be a sure way to escape deportation.
An Indian chef who created a range of delicious curries for supermarkets won a High Court battle to stay on in the country after the Home Office threatened to deport him.
The Bradford-based Tasawar Ali, the key chef with Mumtaz Food Industries, which supplies Indian meals to Tesco, the largest chain in the UK and to ASDA, another popular supermarket chain, had been asked to return to India after his estranged wife told authorities that Ali had over-stayed his visa. It was said in the court that Ali, who came here in 1996, was primarily responsible for the Mumtaz Food Industries developing into a multimillion-pound business. He was illiterate and that his immigration matters were being looked after by his wife, who has turned against him after estrangement.
Initially he was entitled to stay in Britain for a year as he married to Jamila Banu, a British national. But his visa expired in 1997.
Trouble started after the couple separated in late 2000. His wife informed the Home Office that he had over-stayed and had thus an adverse immigration history. The Home Office asked him to leave the country. But Justice Goldring has ruled that the Home Office was wrong in listening to the reports of Ali's wife, who obviously held a grudge against her husband.
He has sent the case back to the Home Office for reconsideration.
The Judge acknowledged in open court the culinary talents of Ali. He ruled that Mrs Ali's motives were "malicious" and quashed the deportation order. He said: "I have concluded on the evidence then (when the deportation order was made by the Home Office last October) that the Secretary of State was not entitled to reach the decision that he did in this rather unusual case."
The Judge added that it was still open to the Secretary of State to reject Ali's application to stay after further consideration, but argued "whether given the claimant's outstanding work record and contribution to the well-being of the community at large, that (deportation) would be worthwhile is a matter entirely for him (to decide)."
An Indian chef who created a range of delicious curries for supermarkets won a High Court battle to stay on in the country after the Home Office threatened to deport him.
The Bradford-based Tasawar Ali, the key chef with Mumtaz Food Industries, which supplies Indian meals to Tesco, the largest chain in the UK and to ASDA, another popular supermarket chain, had been asked to return to India after his estranged wife told authorities that Ali had over-stayed his visa. It was said in the court that Ali, who came here in 1996, was primarily responsible for the Mumtaz Food Industries developing into a multimillion-pound business. He was illiterate and that his immigration matters were being looked after by his wife, who has turned against him after estrangement.
Initially he was entitled to stay in Britain for a year as he married to Jamila Banu, a British national. But his visa expired in 1997.
Trouble started after the couple separated in late 2000. His wife informed the Home Office that he had over-stayed and had thus an adverse immigration history. The Home Office asked him to leave the country. But Justice Goldring has ruled that the Home Office was wrong in listening to the reports of Ali's wife, who obviously held a grudge against her husband.
He has sent the case back to the Home Office for reconsideration.
The Judge acknowledged in open court the culinary talents of Ali. He ruled that Mrs Ali's motives were "malicious" and quashed the deportation order. He said: "I have concluded on the evidence then (when the deportation order was made by the Home Office last October) that the Secretary of State was not entitled to reach the decision that he did in this rather unusual case."
The Judge added that it was still open to the Secretary of State to reject Ali's application to stay after further consideration, but argued "whether given the claimant's outstanding work record and contribution to the well-being of the community at large, that (deportation) would be worthwhile is a matter entirely for him (to decide)."