A POPULAR Indian restaurant will have its licence reviewed after a Home Office investigation found evidence of illegal workers at the premises.

The Rajdoot, a much loved Indian restaurant on Gloucester Street, Stroud, is facing the review after an application was submitted by the Home Office's immigration enforcement department.

It comes after officers conducted an enforcement visit to the restaurant on April 26 this year and arrested one individual as an "overstayer".

A Stroud District Council spokesperson said: “The Immigration Enforcement Team at the Home Office has asked us to review the premises licence to sell alcohol and late night refreshment (hot food and drink after 11pm).

"There is now a 28 day period when any other responsible authority or any other person can make representations about the premises in relation to the application for review or any other matters relating to any of the licensing objectives.

"After this time the Licensing Panel will consider the application by the Immigration Enforcement Team and any other representations about Rajdoot and make a decision whether to revoke the licence or put conditions on it.”

Stroud District Councillor Chas Townley said that although the Rajdoot is his favourite Indian restaurant, reviews of this type are important.

He said: "The Rajdoot is my favourite Indian restaurant, I have used it since I was knee high to grasshopper.

"It is now having its licence reviewed by Stroud District Council for its use of illegal workers.

"But given the strong links between the use of illegal workers and modern slavery it’s vital there is a robust review of the licence."

Following the enforcement visit in April, a spokesman for the Home Office said: "Acting on intelligence, Immigration Enforcement officers visited the Rajdoot at around 5.30pm.

"Immigration checks identified five Bangladeshi men who had no permission to work.

"A 29-year-old man who had overstayed his visa was detained pending his removal from the UK.

"A further four men, aged between 33 and 73 – who have ongoing immigration cases, but no permission to work - must report regularly to the Home Office while their cases are dealt with.

"Rajdoot was served a Civil Penalty Referral Notice warning that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker will be imposed unless the employers can demonstrate that appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work.

"If proof is not provided, this is a potential total of up to £100,000."