Big Penalty in UK: Indian Student Employed Illegally as Nanny, Labour Leader Fined Rs 48 Lakh

United Kingdom: A wrong decision has now become a big headache for a local Labour Party leader living in London. The British court has imposed a heavy fine on councilor Heena Mir for illegally employing an Indian student as a nanny. Mir not only lost the case after being found to have violated immigration rules, but also had to pay around Rs 48 lakh (40,000 pounds fine and 3,620 pounds court costs).

How did the whole matter come to light?

It is alleged that Heena Mir hired 22-year-old Indian student Himanshi Gongale to look after her children around the clock, six days a week, The Daily Telegraph reported. In return, she used to give her 1,200 pounds every month i.e. about Rs 1.44 lakh. The problem was that Himanshi had no right to work legally in the UK. Her visa had expired in March 2023 and she was living in the country illegally.

Student asked for help from police

The matter came to light in August last year when Himanshi, in distress, stopped the police car and asked for help. She claimed that she was under constant mental and physical pressure and felt extremely unsafe. After this, the investigating agencies came to know that she was living in the UK illegally and she was also suspected of being employed in domestic work.

What was Heena Mir's defense?

In court, Heena Mir denied all the allegations. She said that Himanshi used to visit his house only as a “social visitor”, where she would play video games, watch TV and relax. But Judge Stephen Hellman was not convinced by her argument. She said that there are many contradictions in Heena Mir's statement, due to which it is difficult to trust her.

Political pressure also increased

After the legal decision, pressure has also increased in Mir's local council. Opposition councilors are demanding his resignation. They say that an elected representative breaking the law is a very serious matter and the public deserves better leadership than this.

What does the law say?

According to UK immigration rules, employing someone who does not have a work permit is a serious offense. This may result in heavy fines for the employer, and the court may also consider the case as fraud and exploitation.