The owner of a convenience store in Reading town centre has had permission to sell alcohol revoked over allegations of ‘criminal behaviour’.
Gurjeet Bajaj, the owner of the Drinks 4 U store in Market Place, has been accused of hiring an illegal worker, allegedly handling stolen jackets and selling duty-diverted tobacco.
Staff have also been accused of failing trading standards test purchases by selling alcohol to underage teenage volunteers.
PC Declan Smyth, a Thames Valley Police licensing officer, accused Mr Bajaj of handling two stolen jackets.
He said ‘a nominal’ suspect deposited a Marks & Spencer jacket at Drinks 4 U after the alleged theft was reported by a security guard on February 5.
During a wider search, police discovered a Next jacket hanging up in a storage area.
These claims were discussed at a Reading Borough Council meeting today (June 19).
PC Smyth said: “Thousands of pounds of goods are stolen from stores in Reading every day.”
Defending himself, Mr Bajaj stated that the suspect threw the jacket on the floor and that he complied with police officers by telling them where the suspect was and handing over CCTV.
He then said that he had purchased the Next jacket himself and had the bank transfer as proof.
Mr Bajaj was represented by licensing consultant Surendra Panchal, who argued that improvements had been made to comply with licensing conditions at the latest inspection on May 29.
During an inspection on April 1, a man who appeared intoxicated was serving customers while Mr Bajaj was purchasing stock at a cash & carry.
A report by an immigration enforcement officer states that the man entered the UK legally but had his VISA curtailed after his sponsor’s licence was revoked, was out of employment and had no legal right to work.
Other statements by authorities claimed that the man appeared drunk.
To that, Mr Panchal explained that the man was consuming paan betel leaf at the time, a stimulant from the Indian Subcontinent.
There was also a brief discussion about Asian business practices, which allow people to work informally for a short period of time in return for cash or food.
Councillor Amjad Tarar (Labour, Whitley) confirmed that he is familiar with such practices.
Ian Savill, from the council’s trading team, said: “We see a pattern of this across the borough. He’s acknowledging he put his business in the hands of someone he shouldn’t have done.”
Councillor Paul Woodward (Labour, Church) argued that the answers given by Mr Bajaj and Mr Panchal “didn’t quite gel.”
It was established that the alleged illegal worker was a friend of Mr Bajaj who was allowed to run the store for a few hours while Mr Bajaj was out at the cash & carry.
PC Smyth replied that the informal appointment of people to work for brief periods is still illegal, despite the claim that it is a common business practice employed by Asian communities.
He said: “Whether or not it’s in the community, that is an illegal practice, it’s not a grey area, it’s black and white.”
Mr Bajaj admitted that the alleged illegal worker would help out at the store for £5-£10 or be remunerated with food during an interview on April 29.
Summing up, PC Smyth said: “Criminal behaviour, negligence and laziness have no place in doing business in Reading.”
Ultimately, the council’s sub-committee decided to revoke the licence, meaning the sale of aclohol between 8am and 11pm each day must cease.
Mr Bajaj and Mr Panchal are seriously considering an appeal.
