Home Office worker paid 'thousands' to grant asylum applications jailed

A crooked Home Office immigration officer caught running an asylum scam in return for thousands of pounds cash, has been jailed. Imran Mulla, 39, abused his position in the asylum team to overturn a refused asylum claim made by a migrant. He was only caught after he phoned one asylum seeker requesting cash who informed his solicitor of the rogue worker.

Mulla was jailed for four and a half years after admitting immigration offences and bribery. A man he helped Nural Amin Begh, 23, who pleaded guilty to paying Mulla to grant his asylum application, has also been jailed for 18 months. Mulla, of Blackburn, Lancashire, was an executive officer in the asylum team based in Manchester. Preston Crown Court heard how he had completed all his training including courses on security and data protection and counter fraud, bribery and corruption.

His role involved managing a digital caseload and he was responsible for interviewing asylum seekers so he could consider their applications.

Begh, a foreign national from Bangladesh, was refused asylum on 15 February 2024. He was informed by letter and advised of the appeal policy.

The following day, he was contacted by Mulla, who obtained his details from Home Office systems.

Six days later, Begh, who was living in Southampton at the time, transferred £1,500 into Mulla's personal bank account. The pair were then in frequent communication over the following days.

On 13 March, Mulla committed a breach of policy by manipulating the computer system to allocate Begh's case to himself. This gave him the power to grant the asylum application.

Over the following months Begh transferred further cash into Mulla's account, totalling £3,500.

money over the next few months, totalling £3,500.

Around the same time, on 7 March, Mulla rang his second target, a Turkish national who was waiting to hear if his asylum had been granted.

Mulla rang the man, giving a false name, and told him his application was likely to be refused but he could help if he paid him £2,000.

He told the man he would call back later.

The man was so concerned about the call so he reported it to his immigration solicitor and Mulla was arrested on 19 March 2024.

He made no comment during his police interviews.

While under investigation, Mulla continued to receive money from Begh.

Muller pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration, unauthorised access to computer material and three counts of bribery.

Begh admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and two counts of bribery.

Frances Killeen, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Imran Mulla was in a trusted position in the asylum team at the Home Office.

"He abused that trust to line his own pockets by offering to change the outcome of asylum applications for money."

She added she hoped the case "sends a clear message the CPS is committed to working closely with law enforcement and immigration authorities to stamp out corruption".