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Asylum-seeker sent to India despite ruling

Cathy Gordon
Saturday 28 August 2004 00:00 BST

A High Court judge demanded an explanation from the Home Office yesterday as to how a failed asylum-seeker was deported from the UK despite his order preventing the move.

A High Court judge demanded an explanation from the Home Office yesterday as to how a failed asylum-seeker was deported from the UK despite his order preventing the move.

Jorowar Singh Dhillon, 34, began what was to become an 8,500-mile round trip to Delhi on Wednesday night. He landed back at London's Gatwick airport at around 6pm on Thursday, following an order by the judge, Mr Justice Davis, for his immediate return.

Mr Dhillon, a Sikh who lives in London and who is said to have a job and strong community ties, spent only a few hours on the ground at Delhi before flying back to Britain.

His journey began shortly after 10pm on Wednesday night, despite an emergency injunction being granted earlier that evening by Mr Justice Davis preventing his removal. The order followed a telephone application by Mr Dhillon's lawyers to block his removal pending moves in the High Court to challenge his deportation.

At a hearing at the High Court in London yesterday, the judge told the barrister appearing for the Home Office that he required to see statements from her side "explaining how it was that my first order which I made requiring Mr Dhillon not to be removed from this country came not to be complied with. I require witness statements setting out the full circumstances as to how it was that the immigration authorities came to do what they did".

Caroline Neenan, for the Home Office, said it appeared that a "breakdown in communications" occurred with escort contractors.

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