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British Hotelier Charged in India Over Alleged Boarding-Pass Swap to London

Police say he faces prosecution under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which can carry a seven-year sentence.

Overview

  • Kandiah Rajagopal, 52, allegedly handed his Virgin Atlantic boarding pass to friend Sharusan Kunasekaran in a Bengaluru airport restroom after both cleared security and immigration.
  • Immigration officials grew suspicious when Rajagopal lingered in the departure lounge for about eight hours without a boarding pass, prompting an alert to Virgin Atlantic.
  • Rajagopal has been remanded to judicial custody in Bengaluru, has applied for bail, and has requested assistance from the British embassy.
  • UK authorities arrested Kunasekaran on arrival at Heathrow for traveling without a valid visa, and he faces deportation.
  • The investigating officer criticized airline checks, alleging staff failed to match passports with boarding passes as police filed the case under the 2025 law.