Greenwich Council for Racial Equality fraudsters spared jail: Reaction to sentences (From News Shopper)
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Greenwich Council for Racial Equality fraudsters spared jail: Reaction to sentences
11:05am Friday 17th August 2012 in Greenwich news By Sarah Trotter
![Bajwa [second from right] at a GCRE meeting](/resources/images/2124350.jpg?type=articleLandscape)
Bajwa [second from right] at a GCRE meeting
![Bajwa [second from right] at a GCRE meeting](/resources/images/2124350.jpg?type=article)
TWO pensioners have avoided jail after defrauding the race relations charity they worked for of more than £47,000.
Former director for Greenwich Council for Racial Equality (GCRE) Makhan Bajwa and treasurer Hardev Singh Dhillon siphoned off charity money for four years.
Bajwa - on a director's salary of £46,000 per year - and Dhillon used an elaborate system of false invoices that matched with fraudulent cash books to bury their trail.
The charity, funded by Greenwich Council, was forced to close following the revelations - ending a 43-year history of community support including helping the family of murdered schoolboy Stephen Lawrence.
Dhillon, 76, of Plumstead Common, and Bajwa, 67, of Park Crescent, Erith, were given a suspended sentence as well as a curfew and ordered to pay £7,000 costs each on August 14.
Prosecutor Benjamin Holt said: "Considerable thought and effort must have gone into the creation of false invoices.
"Under the moral clause of racial equality, they invented bogus claims for events that never took place."
The court heard how Dhillon first pocketed the money after his daughter approached him for help to furnish her new house.
Defence barrister Ruth Harris said: "He [Dhillon] was embarrassed to admit he didn’t have the money to assist her.
"He made the decision of transferring into his own account.
"That started a dirty and unpleasant habit for four years."
Miss Harris said the grandfather-of-eight was remorseful and appealed to the court to weigh up a lifetime’s commitment to others against this "terrible" period.
Raj Chada, defending Bajwa, told the court how the director's work after the Stephen Lawrence inquiry was "trailblazing".
Judge Stephen Dawson sentenced them to 12 months in prison suspended for two years and ordered them to pay £1,000 costs each, plus £6,000 compensation for investigation costs.
They were also given a 150-day curfew order meaning they must remain within their houses between 8pm to 6am.
Judge Dawson told Woolwich Crown Court: "This was shameful conduct and you both rightly show remorse.
"Sadly, you may well have damaged that cause for which you have worked for most of your lives."
The pensioners have paid back the total £47,910.57 they stole.
Unhappy with the sentence
Former GCRE staff member Neelam Sawhney says the sentence is too lenient.
The 55-year-old said: "This is not fair. It is very sad, because there are so many victims of Bajwa and Dhillon."
Mrs Sawhney, who lives in New Eltham, says she was on other committees at the time and was forced to give jobs to members of Mr Bajwa’s family.
She said: "There is one word for Bajwa - a bully.
"Every time I was on a job interview panel, I was forced to give the job to his family, if not I would lose my job.
"I feel that their sentence is not justified, they should have been asked to do some real community work now and should have been asked to pay back much more.
"They are still filthy rich and think they can walk all over everybody because of their properties and fancy cars."
Comments(38)
Virtual-Monster
says...
4:18pm Fri 17 Aug 12
Financial fraud is very difficult to detect and prove especially when the perpetrators hold positions which enable them to spin a web of paperwork lies and manipulate people to obfuscate and blur the truth. It is said that ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’, that appears to be proven in this case.
I suspect both of these men may act as though they are innocent victims of a conspiracy and may attempt to manipulate the truth for their own benefit to try to protect the status they have established for themselves within the community.
The Indian community in Greenwich is vibrant, large and strong, but these men exert a huge amount of influence within that community and portray themselves as leaders to whom people can come to for help. It's clear now that all they have wanted to do is feather their own nests to make themselves feel more and more important and to improve their social and economic standing in Greenwich.
All of the organisations which Bajwa and Dhillon have had any involvement with over the years are now tainted by the possibility that these thieves could have abused their positions of trust for their own benefit. What a sorry state of affairs.
ksc
says...
5:00pm Fri 17 Aug 12
Very-Honest
says...
6:14pm Fri 17 Aug 12
The brave Mrs Sawhney has spoken out. I am shocked that jobs were given to the Bajwa family according to her. Greenwich council must look at this again.
The news story reports that Mr Dhillon stole to furnish his daughters house when she asked him for the money. Shame on him and shame on her for asking him, a pensioner for the money.
Mr Bajwa, the man with the large detached house on a lovely road, a Jaguar with private plates and if you are to believe the story, "jobs for the members of the Bajwa family." THEN WHY THE HECK DID HE HAVE TO STEAL THE CHARITIES MONEY WHICH RESULTED IN ITS CLOSURE AND LOSS OF JOBS.?
I had heard rumours before that Mr Bajwa was up to no good but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Was I wrong or what.
I thank the Newshopper, her staff for the heads up re these people.
Very-Honest
says...
7:26pm Fri 17 Aug 12
ksc wrote:Hiya
Bajwa, Dhilllon, = lowlife, thieving, pond scum. You give power to filth and that filth will abuse that power every time, guaranteed.
You appear to be very angry, rightly so. But please do not drag yourself down to their level.
It went on for a good 4 years, incredible.
If it was a one off, then i could forgive.
it appears that Mr Hardev Dhillon had reasons to steal, to make her home look nice. But what about Makn Bajwa, i still can't work out why he stole. He is lucky that the red tops have not got this story as mr Makhan Bajwa has appeared in the press and tv many times re major race cases.
If anyone should have known right from wrong, it was this pair.
Guess who ;) AGAIN !
says...
8:20pm Fri 17 Aug 12
Well now the poop has hit the fan I wonder where they will creep off to hide with their ill gotten gains ?
RightSaidFrank
says...
8:46pm Fri 17 Aug 12
They should have served the prison sentences and not had them suspended.
They have done untold damage to their community.
Very-Honest
says...
9:59pm Fri 17 Aug 12
Virtual-Monster wrote:Having read your post again, you'd make a good reporter.
If either of these thieves were real men they would not try to hide from reporters or the public at large. They have done wrong, been exposed and are being punished for their crimes.
Financial fraud is very difficult to detect and prove especially when the perpetrators hold positions which enable them to spin a web of paperwork lies and manipulate people to obfuscate and blur the truth. It is said that ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’, that appears to be proven in this case.
I suspect both of these men may act as though they are innocent victims of a conspiracy and may attempt to manipulate the truth for their own benefit to try to protect the status they have established for themselves within the community.
The Indian community in Greenwich is vibrant, large and strong, but these men exert a huge amount of influence within that community and portray themselves as leaders to whom people can come to for help. It's clear now that all they have wanted to do is feather their own nests to make themselves feel more and more important and to improve their social and economic standing in Greenwich.
All of the organisations which Bajwa and Dhillon have had any involvement with over the years are now tainted by the possibility that these thieves could have abused their positions of trust for their own benefit. What a sorry state of affairs.
Virtual-Monster
says...
10:26pm Fri 17 Aug 12
Very-Honest wrote:Very-Honest, I’m unsure whether I should be insulted by your comment or not.
Virtual-Monster wrote:Having read your post again, you'd make a good reporter.
If either of these thieves were real men they would not try to hide from reporters or the public at large. They have done wrong, been exposed and are being punished for their crimes.
Financial fraud is very difficult to detect and prove especially when the perpetrators hold positions which enable them to spin a web of paperwork lies and manipulate people to obfuscate and blur the truth. It is said that ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’, that appears to be proven in this case.
I suspect both of these men may act as though they are innocent victims of a conspiracy and may attempt to manipulate the truth for their own benefit to try to protect the status they have established for themselves within the community.
The Indian community in Greenwich is vibrant, large and strong, but these men exert a huge amount of influence within that community and portray themselves as leaders to whom people can come to for help. It's clear now that all they have wanted to do is feather their own nests to make themselves feel more and more important and to improve their social and economic standing in Greenwich.
All of the organisations which Bajwa and Dhillon have had any involvement with over the years are now tainted by the possibility that these thieves could have abused their positions of trust for their own benefit. What a sorry state of affairs.
I like the truth and I try to be a moral person, so I think that rules me out from ever being a journalist (or a politician).
Always on the lookout for a better job though.
Very-Honest
says...
11:02pm Fri 17 Aug 12
My comments were intended to pay you a compliment. In hindsight, I should have just congratulated you.
I too consider myself a very moral person, and ready to stand up and be counted.
I also have to give credit to The Newshopper, as if it was not for them, most of us would have been completely oblivious to the crimes committed by this pair. Hopefully, you will agree with me that not all journalist are the same.
I have thought long and hard why this pair stole, and stole four a good four years from a charity. Mr Hardev Dhillon, we all know why he did it as the facts are printed here. But, Mr Makhan Bajwa, with his massive salary, very big house on a posh street, a Jag with personalised number plates, why the heck would he need to steal from a charity, not once, but hell knows how many times over a 4 yr period..
Do you, or others think the private plate will be sold off,?
My sincere sympathies go to the community that has lost a service and even more so to the dedicated and honest staff that have all lost their jobs.
The sentence was a disgusting and sick joke.
j.j.
says...
7:03am Sat 18 Aug 12
the bible scoffer
says...
9:46am Sat 18 Aug 12
harold hill66
says...
10:13am Sat 18 Aug 12
Hundreds of thousands of pounds will have been saved and only then people will realise what a complete waste of money these groups are!
Very-Honest
says...
11:28am Sat 18 Aug 12
j.j. wrote:Hello
Pensioner with £46,000 salary? Talk about cushy council jobs. But then again, maybe this pair have been particularly successful in their jobs as Greenwich has had one of the highest growth rates of ethnic population in London. Maybe they have through the charity made the community more welcoming for ethnic minorities and deserve a recognition for that - but they should obviously not be awarding a "pay rise" to themselves.
You cannot be serious!
Makhan Bajwa was paid 46k per annum of tax payers money. I'm aware his wife worked as well. With all that money, he still could not keep his dirty fingers our of the charities till, disgustingly sick.
You mention their good work, you are entitled to that. But for at least FOUR YEARS they conspired to defraud a charity and because of them, the place closed down and staff lost their jobs. I give these two no credit but credit to the dedicated staff who paid the ultimate price by losing their livelihoods because of the greedy pair.
Very-Honest
says...
11:32am Sat 18 Aug 12
the bible scoffer wrote:Hello
...all these tax-payers race organisations are not fit for purpose - ...jobs for 'the family!!' ...jobs for 'who knows who!!'... these two were tricksters and cheats... and looking at their wealth they didn't need the money either... we are in times of austerity in the u.k. time to start saving millions by closing the gravy-train organisations dahn!!
If you said that to me 2 yrs ago, I would have strongly disagreed with you. This pair of crooks have managed to damage the reputation of organisations like this for ever imo.
They say they feel ashamed, actions speaks louder than words. A reasonable compensation to those that lost their jobs because of the pair, paid by the pair would be a start
Very-Honest
says...
11:37am Sat 18 Aug 12
harold hill66 wrote:You could well be right, and all thanks to this pair of crooks.
In a couple of years time people in this area will be wondering why they ever needed a race equality group in the first place.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds will have been saved and only then people will realise what a complete waste of money these groups are!
Personally, if the sentence was a bit more appropriate, especially for the ex director, as he was the leader of the place, people would not have been so angry.
I'd have some respect for them if they did pay compensation to the people they have messed up. Anyone can make a mistake, it's what you do afterwards that counts.
I could have easily forgiven them if it was a one off, but it appears it went on for more than 4 yrs and the fraud was well planned and executed, until decent staff at the GCRE relayed their concerns to the council and cops.
RooneyLegend
says...
9:56pm Sun 19 Aug 12
They used to support a "Hands off China" movement....when all along they shouldn have had their own hands off charity money......
Mangetout
says...
8:42am Mon 20 Aug 12
Virtual-Monster
says...
4:43pm Mon 20 Aug 12
The only story here is that Bajwa and Dhillon admitted that they were guilty of systematically defrauding a CHARITY for four years.
Regardless of the fact that they paid back what auditors and police could prove they stole, they still received incredibly lenient sentences.
Maybe the Judge believed the shame that Bajwa and Dhillon have brought upon themselves and their families was also a substantial punishment?
Simon Bull
says...
4:48pm Mon 20 Aug 12
I have removed your comments on this story for good reason and have also emailed you on the address you supplied when registering on this site to explain the reasons why. Please stop re-posting the same things.
Very-Honest
says...
5:48pm Mon 20 Aug 12
RooneyLegend wrote:Distraction tactics? LOL
i knew when i went to their team meetings they were crooks,pointing out other institutions which were running fraudently....but the whole time there were stealing from the charity....even bankers have more credit than these 2 insects!!
They used to support a "Hands off China" movement....when all along they shouldn have had their own hands off charity money......
Very-Honest
says...
5:51pm Mon 20 Aug 12
Mangetout wrote:A Joke indeed.
£40,000 profit for them and all they have to do is stay in at night.............. what a joke.
One would have thought that four years of planned stealing from a charity where one was the director and the other was the treasurer i think, and this is what they get - a sick joke
Very-Honest
says...
5:57pm Mon 20 Aug 12
Virtual-Monster wrote:Good post.
Former GCRE staff member Neelam Sawhney may not appear to be the most reliable person for the Newsshopper to seek a comment from, but that is of no real importance to this story.
The only story here is that Bajwa and Dhillon admitted that they were guilty of systematically defrauding a CHARITY for four years.
Regardless of the fact that they paid back what auditors and police could prove they stole, they still received incredibly lenient sentences.
Maybe the Judge believed the shame that Bajwa and Dhillon have brought upon themselves and their families was also a substantial punishment?
Very well worded.
The shame is certainly there for Hardev Dhillon and his family. The bloke looked ill a couple of weeks ago when I saw him outside his house. The shame will increase if this story is put into print in Greenwich ans the Bexley editions at the very least.
The other bloke, never really spoken to him other than a hello a few years ago when he was with Hardev Singh Dhillon. So don't really know what he is feeling. Some good pictures by NS.
I am glad that Mr Dhillon did not go to prison as he is an old man and I don't believe he will do this kind of thing again
Guess who ;) AGAIN !
says...
7:35pm Mon 20 Aug 12
Simon Bull wrote:I really hope that's you Simon and not a troll.
To Jungman,
I have removed your comments on this story for good reason and have also emailed you on the address you supplied when registering on this site to explain the reasons why. Please stop re-posting the same things.
Jungman
says...
9:06pm Mon 20 Aug 12
Very-Honest
says...
9:20pm Mon 20 Aug 12
Jungman wrote:Dear Jungman
This is a blatant smear campaign - hidden agenda!
You made claims, but no credible links. This is why your posts were removed.
The bottom line is this, Makhan Bajwa and Mr Dhillon were NOT found gulity, but PLEAED GUILTY. In my good books, you can't be more guilty than pleading guilty.
The complexed crime went on for 4 years and it was only the courage of staff at the now closed GCRE that alerted the council and cops.
So please give it a rest.
Virtual-Monster
says...
9:40pm Mon 20 Aug 12
Jungman wrote:Exactly what part of reporting a plea of guilty to defrauding a charity and the subsequent sentencing is part of a smear campaign?
This is a blatant smear campaign - hidden agenda!
If lies or unsubstantiated allegations were being made then I would agree with you, but in this case the only smear is that left by the two thieves who chose for their own benefit to steal from a charity.
The damage these men’s actions have caused is immense and the ramifications are far reaching for many in the Greenwich and Bexley communities.
People are angry and have a right to voice their disgust at their actions and disappointment at the sentence handed down to them.
Jungman
says...
9:48pm Mon 20 Aug 12
I must say that I agree with the previous person who questioned your honestness and fairness!
I have simply been posting FACTS which are obviously dismissive to yourself.
Phillip-Aleksandr
says...
9:18am Tue 21 Aug 12
commenting scoffer
says...
9:45am Tue 21 Aug 12
Very-Honest
says...
4:49pm Tue 21 Aug 12
The simple facts are as follows.
The pair were not found guilty, but indeed pleaded guilty to defrauding a charitable organisation. According to press reports, the conspiracy to defraud was systematically carried out over a four year period, up until they were caught out.
I have slept on it and sure that both of them won't commit another crime, and that is good enough for me. I have forgiven them both as almost anyone can make a mistake and the pair made one mistake, so time to forgive and forget.
Very-Honest
says...
7:22pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Jungman wrote:Dear Jungman
Dear "very-honest"
I must say that I agree with the previous person who questioned your honestness and fairness!
I have simply been posting FACTS which are obviously dismissive to yourself.
I decided to ignore you when I first read your post, and I apologise for that.
You are fully aware that some of your posts have been removed by NS and rightly so.
You talk about posting "facts," feel free to do that. However, you need to support them with information from a credible source, EG, NS printed the story about these two crooks backed up by dates, times and venue and sentence and who sentenced the.
You get my drift?
NB: Please also read my above post here and you will no doubt clearly note that I'm a very forgiving person.
Very-Honest
says...
8:40pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Virtual-Monster wrote:Hear, hear!
Jungman wrote:Exactly what part of reporting a plea of guilty to defrauding a charity and the subsequent sentencing is part of a smear campaign?
This is a blatant smear campaign - hidden agenda!
If lies or unsubstantiated allegations were being made then I would agree with you, but in this case the only smear is that left by the two thieves who chose for their own benefit to steal from a charity.
The damage these men’s actions have caused is immense and the ramifications are far reaching for many in the Greenwich and Bexley communities.
People are angry and have a right to voice their disgust at their actions and disappointment at the sentence handed down to them.
I personally thank papers like the NS for publishing this story on the net and less frequently in print.
Tomorrow we shall see if this edition of the story has been put into print. I get the Greenwich edition and will update, and hopefully a blogger from Bexley could do the same.
If the story goes into print, it would be good as many will learn that a smile or a smirk and saying the right things do not always equate to everything being above board.
As i said earlier, i forgive the two, and hopefully their respective family's can forgive them as well and remain good friends
Very-Honest
says...
6:26pm Wed 22 Aug 12
did the story go into print in Greenwich? Did it go into print in Bexley?
Virtual-Monster
says...
9:41pm Wed 22 Aug 12
Very-Honest wrote:This story made it on to page 4 of the Greenwich Borough edition and both you and I were quoted on the letters page (page 13).
Well, as luck would have, not had the NS delivered in SE18
did the story go into print in Greenwich? Did it go into print in Bexley?
Famous at last.....
Oh dear!
Very-Honest
says...
5:57pm Thu 23 Aug 12
Virtual-Monster wrote:Oh dear, indeed!
Very-Honest wrote:This story made it on to page 4 of the Greenwich Borough edition and both you and I were quoted on the letters page (page 13).
Well, as luck would have, not had the NS delivered in SE18
did the story go into print in Greenwich? Did it go into print in Bexley?
Famous at last.....
Oh dear!
I managed to use my brain cell and looked at the hard copies E-editions, appeared in Greenwich, Bexley and Lewisham. Greenwich NS had the best spot in the paper, in the others it was in the lower advert rates spot.
Cheers for the chins up
Very-Honest
says...
6:56pm Thu 23 Aug 12
Just had a look at the Bexley edition, about page eight - lewsiham, page 4, and we both get a metion in the lewisham edition, same quotes used as greenwich
However, only i get a mention in the Bexley edition and a different quote.
I'm really famous now, lol
richardmac
says...
12:39pm Tue 4 Sep 12
It's good to see that justice appears to have been done (though smoke and fire and iceberg tips also also spring to mind) following their guilty pleas and the imposition of suspended sentences and fines. I wonder whether wider fairness and justice will now be served, as the fines represent-are the money they stole, it should be returned to the budget of the department destroyed by their fecklessness and entirely spent compensating more fully those who paid the price by losing their jobs!
concerned.erith says...
11:46am Fri 17 Aug 12
Hang your heads in shame.