AN ASYLUM-SEEKER from Afghanistan who fears for his life was being flown back to Britain yesterday after the Home Office went against legal advice and deported him.

Samim Bigzad has been targeted by the Taliban, who threatened to behead him, because he has worked for a construction company with links to the Afghan government and the US military.

Campaigners from Kent Anti-Racism Network told the Star that before being deported last Tuesday he had been gagged to prevent a disturbance that would result in him being removed from the flight and, when he tried to call out, was punched in the head.

Until yesterday morning he was holed up in hotel rooms in Turkey and then the Afghan capital Kabul, where at one point a group of men with guns had demanded to know his whereabouts.

Legal experts and campaigners said Home Secretary Amber Rudd had defied the law by continuing with the extradition after ignoring two High Court orders preventing Mr Bigzad’s removal, with one judge branding it “prima facie contempt of court.”

Bridget Chapman from campaign group Kent Anti-Racism Network said Ms Rudd had “applied to the court to have the previous two court orders overturned.”

Solicitor Jamie Bell told the Star that further attempts by the Home Office to prevent Mr Bigzad’s return were refused and he had started contempt of court proceedings against the Home Secretary.

As the Star went to press, following a third court order and a four-hour hearing, Mr Bigzad was in Istanbul waiting for a flight back to Britain — due to arrive at 8.45pm.

The Home Office dragged its feet in responding to lawyers’ requests, Mr Bell said, but he now “eagerly and hopefully” awaited Mr Bigzad’s return and will continue representing him in his legal battle.

Ms Rudd appeared on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday, on which she said: “Deportation is an important part of managing our immigration process.”

Mr Marr attempted to draw her into commenting on being “in contempt of court,” and whether she would have to apologise.

She said she would abide by what courts asked her to do but refused to comment further, saying that the case was “ongoing.”

The Home Office also refused to comment on what it described as “ongoing legal proceedings.”

British Labour peer and barrister Charlie Falconer said on Twitter yesterday: “I assume the Lord Chancellor will condemn Rudd for her failure to comply with two court orders to return Samim Bigzad to UK.”