Britain has launched a probe into allegations of "sex for asylum" racket at the country's busiest immigration office after an NRI whistleblower alleged that 'corrupt' officials prefer to give visas to 'attractive' girls in return for sexual favours.
The racket was exposed to the tabloid The Sun by Anthony Pamnani, who quit as administrative officer from the centre at Lunar House in Croydon in the south of the city in "disgust". Pamnani said he finally quit after bosses told staff to restrict migrants from India and let in more from Eastern Europe. "I lost what remaining respect I had for the job."
The Home Office launched a probe into the allegations Monday night, the tabloid said. Minister Tony McNulty, who ordered the probe, said, "These are serious allegations. Clearly I will not condone this type of behaviour."
Pamnani, 23, told how one colleague joked after giving a visa to a Turkish girl. "I gave her more than a visa extension, if you know what I mean."
The report alleged that Anthony who worked at Lunar House for four years, regularly saw colleagues dish out their phone numbers to "sexy" immigrants. He said one girl came in and told the office an administrative officer had "visited" her flat. She got indefinite leave to stay.
According to the tabloid, Anthony revealed how attractive asylum seekers would ask for officials by name at the Public Enquiry Office, which deals with all applications to stay in
the country.
"Brazilian girls were treated best of all. If male and female Brazilian migrants came in to extend their visas, the guy would get one year and the girl two even if both had the same level of paperwork. The girl would only have to smile, bend over the desk and she'd get longer. Officers used to say about ugly girls: She's bloody disgusting, let's send her back anyway."
If an immigrant was ugly, several officers would leave their desks to go behind a screen and laugh at her passport picture. The photo would be copied and pinned up on a wall.
Pamnani also claimed that security checks were so lax terrorists could have "sneaked" into the country.
Admin officers there are paid 17,000 pounds a year. Anthony, who claimed his complaints about corruption were ignored, said "Every passport should be checked in case the person has previous convictions or is wanted in another country. Many times this was not done.
"It was lazy because they only had to walk a few yards and swipe it through a computer reader." He also alleged that passports were left where they could easily be stolen.
However, the Home Office denied that passports were routinely left at the Croydon office, insisting they were returned to applicants.
A spokesman said: "The Public Enquiry Office deals with the vast majority of cases immediately. Relevant documents are photocopied and the originals are handed straight back to
the owners."
KC
