Singh, previously a manager of the Nanaksar Thaht Isher Darbar Sikh Temple in Manurewa, pleaded guilty on 2 representative charges of providing false and misleading information. The offence carries a penalty of up to 7 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $100,000.

The prosecution was brought after a worker at the Temple was found to have made 6 visa applications while using a fraudulently obtained passport between 2013 and 2017.

Mr Singh, who was a friend of the applicant and had known him under his real identity when they had previously done volunteer work at the Temple, sponsored them on 6 separate visa applications knowing the applications contained false and misleading details.

This offending undermines the integrity of the immigration system, and is an insult to the vast majority of employers who take the time to do the right thing for their workers when sponsoring such visa applications. We will prosecute such offending when there is evidence to do so.

We encourage anyone aware of such offending to report it immediately.  Cases can be reported to the MBIE Service Centre on 0800 20 90 20. Offending can also be reported to the New Zealand Police on 105 or 111 (in an emergency) or anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.