Home office shuts Raj’s due to its ‘history of employing illegal workers’

Raj’s has long been one of the go too take-away shops for many Fallowfield students, with the absolute beauty that is cheesy chips with curry on top or the very cheap pizzas, it was the best cure for drunken hunger. But unfortunately, Raj’s will no longer be the light (cheesy chips) at the end of the drunken tunnel.

Last week Raj’s was raided by immigration enforcement officers. They found a 24-year-old man from Afghanistan, who was found to have entered the UK illegally and had no right to be working in the UK. As a result, steps are being taken to deport him.

However, such instances are nothing new for Raj’s. In March last year the business was fined £30,000, because two illegal workers were found, which the home office told the M.E.N is still yet to be paid.

The shutting of Raj’s was able to occur because of this ‘history of noncompliance’, which was directed through the new powers enabled within the Immigration Act 2016.

Businesses, can therefore be shut under this act, and they have to reach certain criteria prior to reopening. Such criteria will be considered before Raj’s is to reopen.

Paul Airlie, assistant director of Greater Manchester immigration enforcement, told the M.E.N, ”Local businesses that persistently employ illegal workers must face the consequences.

“These new immigration powers give us an opportunity to further crack down on those offenders, such as Raj Takeaway, where civil penalties have been issued and not paid.”

Raj’s should however be reopening on the 2^nd of February.