Bigamy charge for Rochdale man

A Rochdale man appeared before magistrates at Workington on Friday 26 March in relation to charges of bigamy and making a false statement to immigration officials.

Fazlur Rahman, 42, of Waterside Lane, Rochdale who formerly ran Indian restaurants in Windermere, Ambleside, Kendal, Cockermouth and Workington reiterated his not guilty pleas.

Rahman is accused of bigamy in that on March 25 2006 at Whitehaven, during the life of his wife Farzana Shahrin Tania, he went through a form of marriage with Jill Gregg, contrary to section 57 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.

The second charge is that on June 23 2008 at Cockermouth he caused to be made to an immigration officer a statement or representation which he knew to be false or did not believe to be true that he stated he was living together with Farzana-Sharhin Tania as husband and wife and intended to do so permanently contarary to the 1971 Immigration Act.

Rahman had been due to be committed to the Crown Court to answer the charges, but his solicitor said he needed a further two week adjournment for papers that could clear his client to be studied.

The CPS resisted the request for an adjournment, but was over ruled by the clerk to the court who allowed an adjournment to a fresh hearing on April 9 still before the West Allerdale magistrates.

His bail was renewed with the condition that he surrendered his UK passport, that the court received a surety of £18,000 provided by an uncle and would live at Waterside Lane, Rochdale, under a curfew.

Rahman, who has been a British citizen for 30 years, ran six restaurants in Cumbria. He is now bankrupt.

Bigamy is an offence rarely heard before the courts in Cumbria. Cases can be heard before both a magistrates’ and the higher crown court. If put before the crown court they can carry a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

After the hearing Mr Rahman's solicitor reiterated that the charges were vigorously denied.