Ilford councillor denies helping illegal alien into UK
A COUNCILLOR facing allegations of deliberately giving false information to help a non-UK citizen into the country has told the Recorder he “did nothing wrong”.
Labour Cllr Muhammed Javed, a former leader of Redbridge Council, is now the subject of an investigation following a complaint from the UK Border Agency’s appeals and asylum team.
It claims he “deliberately provided false and misleading information in an attempt to facilitate the entry of a non-national person to the UK”.
Redbridge Council’s monitoring officer has been asked to probe the allegations, based on a letter allegedly written by the councillor on July 30, 2009.
Cllr Javed, who was first elected to the council in 1982, said: “I have been made aware of the investigation.
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“I did nothing more than what any good local councillor would do in the circumstances when approached by a constituent.
“I did nothing wrong.”
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He added: “I’m sure there has been some confusion that will be cleared up during the course of the investigation.
“I’m sure he [the monitoring officer] will be in touch with me to carry out his investigation. I will fully co-operate with him.”
Cllr Javed was deputy leader of the Labour group from 1989 to 1998, deputy leader of the council from 1994 to 1998, leader of the Labour group from 1999 to 2002, and leader of the council from 2000 to 2002.
The councillor, of Dudley Road, Ilford, serves Clementswood ward.
Labour group leader Cllr Bob Littlewood said: “By the nature of these things we are at a very early stage of the investigation.”
He added: “I’ve not discussed the matter with him.”
When asked if he was planning to speak to Cllr Javed about the allegations, Cllr Littlewood said: “I’m going to await the result of the investigation.”
