Monday, April 20, 2026 - The Home Office has faced strong criticism after informing Mohammad Shethwala, a father who lost his wife and young daughter in the Air India Flight 171 crash, that he must leave the UK following the rejection of his visa extension request.
Mohammad’s wife, Sadikabanu, and their two-year-old daughter
Fatima were among the 260 people killed in the June 2025 crash shortly after
take-off from Ahmedabad. Having entered the UK in 2022 as a dependent on his
wife’s student visa, Mohammad’s legal right to remain in the country was tied
to her immigration status.
Following the tragedy, he applied for Further Leave to
Remain on humanitarian grounds, stating that he had “nothing left” outside the
support network he has built in London. His legal team argued that his mental
health had significantly deteriorated and that returning to India would worsen
his condition, particularly given the intense media coverage surrounding the
crash.
However, the Home Office rejected the application, stating
that his case did not meet the threshold for exceptional circumstances.
Officials said he could access support and healthcare in India, and he was
subsequently placed on immigration bail, preventing him from working or
switching to another visa route.
Speaking about the decision, Mohammad said he could not
accept the outcome and described the emotional toll it has taken on him.
Friends close to him say he has struggled to process the loss and relies
heavily on those around him in the UK for daily support.
Campaigners and advocacy groups have condemned the decision,
describing it as lacking compassion. Fizza Qureshi, chief executive of the
Migrants' Rights Network, said the move showed a failure to support someone
experiencing profound grief. Patrick Vernon also criticised the decision,
comparing the treatment to past injustices such as the Windrush scandal and
calling it a “moral failure”.
Legal representatives have confirmed that the decision will
be challenged in court, a process that will allow Mohammad to remain in the UK
while proceedings continue. They maintain that his situation is a genuine
humanitarian case and have urged authorities to reconsider, emphasising the
severe emotional and financial hardship he faces following the loss of his
immediate family.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said that all visa
applications are assessed individually in line with immigration rules, but
declined to comment further on the specifics of the case.
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