FOUR Indian nationals accused of posing as Afghans to claim asylum in the UK have denied entering the country without valid clearance.
Gurbakhsh Singh, 72, his wife Ardet Kaur, 68, their son Guljeet Singh, 44, and his wife Kawaljeet Kaur, 37, are alleged to have entered the UK without passports or entry clearance after twice failing to obtain visas as Indian citizens before arriving in London on December 23, 2023, The Telegraph reported.
They were detained at Heathrow Airport and charged with seeking leave to enter the UK by deceptive means, allegedly claiming to be Afghan nationals.
At an earlier hearing, Kawaljeet Kaur denied two charges of entering the UK without valid clearance and a passport. The other three family members denied the same charges at Croydon Crown Court on Thursday, assisted by an interpreter.
All four remain on unconditional bail. Their seven-day trial is scheduled to begin on February 2 next year. Judge Antony Dunne rejected a request for reporting restrictions.
Damian Talbot
Nirmala Sitharaman speaks at the India-UK Investor Roundtable in London last Wednesday (9). On the panel were India’s department of economic affairs secretary Ajay Seth and Kotak Mahindra Bank founder Uday Kotak
Sitharaman with Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves
Sitharaman with Jonathan Reynolds 
Sitharaman with Reynolds, Alastair King, India’s high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and other delegates