WOKINGHAM’S Miah’s Indian restaurant has been told it can no longer serve alcohol by the council.

The decision comes after four illegal workers were arrested in August having been found at the Spencers Wood restaurant with no right to work.

The licence was revoked on Thursday, October 25 by Wokingham Borough Council councillors Chris Bowring, Lindsay Ferris and Abdul Loyes.

Councillor Lindsay Ferris told the News: “It smacks of lax management of the restaurant.

“There are rules people have to obey by – you have to check the proper paperwork.”

Cllr Ferris said the meeting, which was attended by the restaurant owner Mr Jamshed Miah and his son, the Home Office and Thames Valley Police, took about an hour.

He added: “This was probably one of the most clear cut cases we have had.”

The owner of the restaurants, Jamshed Miah, could be forced to pay a fine of £240,000 after illegal workers were also discovered at Miah’s Pangbourne and Reading restaurants.

The Miah’s restaurant on Wokingham Road, Reading was revoked on Thursday, November 1 after five illegal workers were discovered at the Indian cuisine.

Reading Borough Council licensing officer Peter Naranjic said: “The employment of any illegal worker and their possible exploitation for financial gain is clearly an extremely criminal offence”

PC Simon Wheeler was also present at the Reading Borough Council meeting and he said: “Thames Valley Police have a concern that this is an endemic general practice in business owned by Mr Miah. The fact these visits took place over an extended period and haven’t been dealt with suggest this is general business practice.”

Three illegal workers were found in Miah’s in Pangbourne and West Berkshire Council have also confirmed the restaurant’s alcohol licence had been revoked.