A CONVENIENCE store used as a bogus Sikh religious mission in a huge scam to bring almost 200 migrants into the country illegally has had its licence revoked.

West Yorkshire Police took action against the operators of Birkenshaw Convenience Store after shopkeeper Malkeet Singh Rathod was jailed earlier this year for nine years.

Rathod, who ran the Old Lane store at the time, was convicted of fraud by misrepresentation and five charges of money laundering following a trial at Leeds Crown Court in June.

He charged people thousands of pounds by acting as a licensed sponsor to gain them entry from India posing as religious workers who were needed in the Sikh community.

Following the conviction, the police called for the alcohol licence at the store to be revoked, and a Kirklees Council licensing panel agreed at a meeting today.

PC Leon Stansfield of the police’s licensing unit stated Rathod signed the premises licence over to a relative, Kawaljeet Rathod, in March after it became clear he had a strong chance of going to jail.

PC Stansfield explained that during 2007 and 2008 the store address was used as a bogus Sikh religious mission, as was another store in Featherstone also owned by Rathod.

“Both these religious missions were then registered with the Charity Commission, they were then further registered with the Home Office with a sponsor licence.

“This allowed persons to enter and remain in the UK from India, and remain as bogus religious workers.

“It became apparent during the investigation that large sums of money were charged to these individuals to allow them to remain in the UK.”

He added: “In reality these missions did not exist, the migrants disappeared into the so-called black economy and Mr Malkeet Rathod is believed to have personally benefited between two to three million pounds, most of which has been sent back to India.”

Police said that the licensing objections of preventing crime and disorder and public safety had been put at risk by fraud.

“Serious and organised crime has major impacts on today’s society and the welfare of the individuals smuggled and trafficked into the UK can only be guessed at,” said PC Stansfield.

The panel agreed to revoke the alcohol licence which operated from 6am to 9pm, seven days a week.

Police outlined how when officers raided the shop in Old Lane they found a number of fake stamps and stationery. A large number of fake documents such as study certificates, copies of passports and ID cards and fake letterheads were also found on a laptop.

A similar licensing review is taking place for a second shop owned by Rathod after calls from Wakefield Police.

When Rathod was jailed, after a trial lasting more than 11 weeks, Judge Christopher Batty told him: “This was a fraud that goes to the very heart of the immigration system in this country. The sponsorship system is based on trust. Conduct of people like you undermines the confidence the public has in that system.

“It raises suspicion against those who have come to this country legitimately and those who provide a genuine service to citizens of this country.”