A man from Cairns in far north Queensland, Sona Singh Bhela, has appeared in court charged with running a fraudulent immigration scheme for Indians trying to move to Australia.
Singh Bhela, 47, was arrested on Friday after an investigation lasting three years.
He is accused of falsifying qualifications to facilitate the migration or attempted migration of more than 120 Indians and their families under the Skilled Migration Scheme.
Prosecutor Michael Dalton told the Cairns Magistrates Court, police had tapped telephone conversations between Singh Bhela and a contact in India, who arranged seminars for visa applicants and took money from them to access the scheme.
He said farmers in far north Queensland had told police Singh Bhela had offered them labour after Cyclone Larry in 2006.
Singh Bhela has not entered a plea and applied for bail.
But acting Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist adjourned the matter until tomorrow.
Y-Axis cautions all prospective immigrants not to falsify your education, work experience or your profile as this is a criminal offense which can result in you being barred from entering the country for more than 5 years.
Y-Axis does not accept applications that are fraudulent and strongly advises you to refrain from the same.
Talk to a Y-Axis Consultant about being honest & transparent in your application for Immigration. Contact us at consult@y-axis.com
Man charged with fraud over Indian immigration scheme
Posted on January 31, 2011