A restaurateur from Swindon could be facing the councillors who revoked his licence for the second time in less than a month.

Mahar Ullah is the designated supervisor of the Taj Mahal Indian restaurant and bar at Shawridge Leisure Park in Whitehall Way.

He was present at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street on Tuesday to hear councillors on the borough council's licensing panel revoke the restaurant's licence after a raid by immigration officers found four men from Bangladesh on the premises.

Two of the men admitted working at the restaurant and the others said they helped out in exchange for food and accommodation - statements thought credible by the panel despite Mr Ullah saying they were simply visiting.

Now Mr Ullah has applied to the very same panel to transfer the licence into his name.

But Wiltshire Police, which originally asked for the licence to be reviewed, oppose the transfer as well.

A letter to the licensing panel says: "Wiltshire Police have concerns regarding the transfer of the premise licence to Mahar Ullah. The application to transfer the licence to Mahar Ullah from Anam Ullah has been made as a direct result of an Home Office Immigration Enforcement visit to the premises."

It adds that Records show both men have continued to be involved in the running of the business, and that transferring the licence to Mahar Ullah could allow crime - such as employing illegal immigrants - to continue.

At the moment the licence is issued to the company Taj Mahal Restaurant (Swindon) Ltd. The sole director of the company is Anam Ullah, Mahar Ullah's brother.

The company has held the licence since December last year. Before than from 2014 to 2017 the brothers held the licence jointly, and Mahar Ullah has been the supervisor, with day to day control of the restaurant, for four years.

Despite the licence being revoked, it does not have to shut immediately. There is a 21-day appeal starting from Tuesday this week, during which Mr Ullah can appeal against the decision.

If he does so, and Mr Ullah told the Advertiser that he intended to, the restaurant can remain in operation until the appeal is decided by magistrates.

A petition with the signatures of more than 50 customers requesting councillors to allow the restaurant to continue was handed in to the panel before it made its decision.

The Licensing Panel will meet on Monday October 29.