A trainee garda has resigned after it was discovered he took part in an alleged sham marriage to gain resident's rights in Ireland.
The 31-year-old man, who is originally from Bangladesh, was admitted to Templemore last year after passing a series of tests and interviews to determine his suitability as a garda.
He was in recruit training when detectives from the Garda National Immigration Bureau discovered he and his friend married two Lithuanian women a number of years ago.
They are believed to have paid €15,000 each, but the marriage allowed them to secure EU residency rights and the man subsequently settled in Ireland.
Gardaí have now begun a criminal investigation and all four parties to the marriages have been interviewed under caution.
A file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
His marriage was discovered as part of Operation Vantage, which was established following new legislation and which identified more than 450 sham marriages last year.
