Home Office Caseworker Jailed for Bribery in Asylum Scam

A Home Office caseworker, Imran Mulla, has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after being caught accepting bribes to illegally grant asylum claims. His accomplice, Bangladeshi national Nural Amin Begh, received an 18-month sentence for his involvement in the corrupt scheme.

The scam, which saw Mulla take over £3,000 from Begh, came to light when he attempted a similar illicit offer to a Turkish asylum seeker, who then reported the incident to authorities.

Abuse of a Trusted Position

Imran Mulla, 39, was working in an asylum claims team in Manchester when he began his illicit activities. Following the refusal of Nural Amin Begh's asylum claim in February 2024, Mulla contacted the 23-year-old Bangladeshi man directly. He offered to take over Begh's case and secure his right to remain in the UK in exchange for money.

Just six days later, Begh transferred £1,500 into Mulla's bank account. Mulla then breached Home Office policy by allocating Begh's case to himself and proceeded to grant the asylum application. Over the subsequent months, Begh continued to transfer more money, eventually totaling £3,500, in return for his successful asylum claim.

Uncovered by a Whistleblower

Mulla's scheme unravelled on March 7, 2024, when he contacted another potential target – a Turkish national awaiting a decision on their asylum application. Using a false name, Mulla informed the individual that their application was likely to be refused but offered assistance in exchange for a £2,000 payment. The Turkish national, however, promptly contacted their immigration solicitor, leading to Mulla's arrest just 12 days later, on March 19. During his police interview, Mulla chose to make no comment.

At Preston Crown Court, Imran Mulla pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration to the UK, securing unauthorised access to computer material with intent to commit or facilitate an offence, and three counts of bribery. Nural Amin Begh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration to the UK and two counts of bribery.

Commitment to Combating Corruption

Frances Killeen, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, emphasized the gravity of Mulla's actions: "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." Killeen added, "I hope this case sends a clear message – the CPS is committed to working closely with law enforcement and immigration authorities to stamp out corruption."

The Home Office has been approached for comment regarding the incident. This case highlights the critical importance of integrity within government departments handling sensitive immigration matters.