Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian-Origin Councillor Gurpal Atwal Banned As Taxi Driver In UK For Indecent Behaviour

IANS, 25 Jul, 2017 12:31 PM
    A 45-year-old Indian-origin Labour councillor in the UK has been banned from working as a taxi driver for a number of offences, including alleged indecent and racist behaviour.
     
     
    A court also heard Gurpal Atwal swore and made racist comments to a man as well as using unlicenced drivers to ferry children to school.
     
     
    Atwal, councillor for Oadby and Wigston in Leicester, was denied a licence to run a taxi firm in Leicester after a court heard a string of allegations, the Daily Mirror reported.
     
     
    Loughborough Magistrates Court ruled the Leicester City Councillor was "not fit and proper" to hold a taxi licence.
     
     
    "In essence, there were a number of allegations. From 2015, there was a consistent number of complaints, no charges, but alleged offences and contact with police. The council's single sole duty is to protect the public," Council legal representative Dave Gill said.
     
     
    “I was told your client is using unlicensed drivers on school runs and then he sat in his pants outside a swimming pool because he believes that's acceptable," Borough licensing enforcement officer Tracey Aldwinckle, said.
     
     
    Further alleged misdemeanours were outlined to the court last Friday, including claims of racism and that Atwal swore at a man.
     
     
    Anthony Schiller, defending, said there was "no indication" from any member of the public of aggressive or racist behaviour.
    He said his client has worked for over 20 years as a taxi driver in Leicester.
     
     
    The court heard Atwal owned a 50 per cent stake in Handsome Cars, in Leicester, and is taking his former business partner to high court in regards to a sum of about 300,000 pounds.
     
     
    "It's often said a business dispute can be worse than a divorce. You have to use the mythical scales of justice to make the decision," Schiller said.
     
     
    Atwal denied the accusations, claiming they were "all fabricated".
     
     
    "I am not a racist person. I treat everybody fairly. They [the statements] were all fabricated to discredit my character," he said.
     
     
    Judicial official refused to renew Atwal's taxi licence which runs out next year and ordered him to pay 1,250 pounds court costs. 

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Bangladesh Diplomat Arrested In New York On Charges Of Labour Trafficking, Assault On Servant

    Bangladesh Diplomat Arrested In New York On Charges Of Labour Trafficking, Assault On Servant
    A high-ranking Bangladeshi diplomat based in New York, accused of forcing his servant to work for up to 18 hours a day without pay, was charged on Monday with labour trafficking and assault, CNN reported.

    Bangladesh Diplomat Arrested In New York On Charges Of Labour Trafficking, Assault On Servant

    How Americans See Justin Trudeau: Poll Says It's Mostly Positive, With Caveats

    How Americans See Justin Trudeau: Poll Says It's Mostly Positive, With Caveats
    WASHINGTON — A new poll offers some insight into how American respondents see foreign leaders, including Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

    How Americans See Justin Trudeau: Poll Says It's Mostly Positive, With Caveats

    WATCH: Sikh Man Arrested In Maryland For Wearing A Kirpan

    WATCH: Sikh Man Arrested In Maryland For Wearing A Kirpan
    Harpreet Singh, a well respected member of the Baltimore community was handcuffed and arrested by the police for carrying a kirpan.

    WATCH: Sikh Man Arrested In Maryland For Wearing A Kirpan

    'Several People' Injured In Firing At Germany’s Munich Rail Station

    'Several People' Injured In Firing At Germany’s Munich Rail Station
    Several people were injured when shots were fired at a commuter rail station near the southern German city of Munich today and one person was detained, police said.

    'Several People' Injured In Firing At Germany’s Munich Rail Station

    Sikh-American Man Simran Jeet Singh Called 'Osama' In Racist Incident By NYC Teen

    Sikh-American Man Simran Jeet Singh Called 'Osama' In Racist Incident By NYC Teen
    A Sikh-American post-doctoral fellow at New York University was called "Osama" by a teenager, in a fresh incident of racism towards members of the community.

    Sikh-American Man Simran Jeet Singh Called 'Osama' In Racist Incident By NYC Teen

    Indian-Origin Tory Candidate Ameet Jogia Targeted By Racist Voter In UK

    Indian-Origin Tory Candidate Ameet Jogia Targeted By Racist Voter In UK
    ogia, who stood against Labour's Barry Gardiner in Brent North, was shocked when he came across the graffiti reading "Vote Labour Barry, not Jogia. Keep p*kis out of politics" in Wembley on June 8.

    Indian-Origin Tory Candidate Ameet Jogia Targeted By Racist Voter In UK