Asylum seeker is deported by mistake

A failed asylum seeker was mistakenly deported to India by the Home Office and then ordered to return to the UK immediately, it emerged today.

Having flown thousands of miles, 34-year-old Jorowar Singh Dhillon was told to retrace his journey as soon as his plane touched down.

The blunder occurred on Wednesday night and the immigration services are urgently looking into the incident today.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "A failed asylum seeker was removed in error from the UK to India on 25 August at 10pm. Arrangements are being made by the immigration services to return the individual to the UK.

"The immigration services are investigating the circumstances and this removal from the UK.

"Any action resulting from this investigation will be implemented by the immigration services to ensure that a recurrence doesn't occur."

Mr Dhillon, a Sikh Indian, arrived in the UK in July 1996 and was refused asylum in both September 1996 and September 1998. According to The Times, Mr Dhillon applied for asylum on the grounds that he would face persecution in India because he was involved in the transportation of arms for Sikh separatists.

His legal representatives said having applied for asylum under the new human rights legislation meant he could not be removed, the newspaper reported. But when he went for his routine visit to immigration officials on Wednesday, Mr Dhillon was detained.

Hours later, his legal team secured an injunction from High Court judge Mr Justice Davis forbidding his removal from the UK, the newspaper said.

But Mr Dhillon's deportation went ahead and as he flew to India a second injunction was passed, ruling that he should not go through immigration at Delhi but return to the UK immediately, the paper claimed. The matter was due to be heard at the High Court today.