LONDON: A former British Airways supervisor is on the run in India after fleeing the UK having been accused of a £3 million (Rs 31 crore) immigration scam. The man had been working as a BA check-in supervisor at Heathrow Terminal 5 where he is alleged to have accepted £25,000 (Rs 26 lakh) as bribes per head over five years to allow Indians in London onto BA flights to Canada without valid visas.
Upon arrival in Canada, the Indians immediately made asylum claims. The man fled to India with his partner, who was working in BA ground services, after he was arrested in UK on Jan 6 and bailed for the offence. BA has sacked both members of staff.
UK police are working with Indian authorities to track down the pair and extradite them to Britain to face charges. The man is understood to have several homes in India, presumably paid for using his multi-million-pound income from the racket.
A source told TOI: “The scam was to help Indians get to Canada – not into the UK – as they had the correct documentation to be in the UK.” The Indians had either flown to the UK on BA flights on visitor visas with the goal of entering Canada or were asylum seekers in Britain who worried their claims would be rejected, leading to deportation.
A source told The Times: “He ensured they came to his check-in desk and then made sure he was at the boarding gate too… He claimed it was useful because he was bilingual.”
Canadian authorities raised the alarm after noticing a pattern of Indians arriving off BA flights from London and claiming asylum upon arrival, The Sun reported.