Sydney, April 15,2012: An investigation by a Brisbane based newspaper has exposed a number of counterfeit marriages brokered by an Indian-origin immigration agent, Chetan Mashru. Oxley-based Mashru is accused of profiteering through applications for refugee and skilled migrant visas, and entrapping students who have no prospect of getting residency in Australia. In one of the cases, a happily married father of two, who didn’t want to be named said Mashru offered to arrange residency for him in January if he divorced his wife. The man’s family in India then received a threatening text warning against pursuit of complaints against Mashru on Friday. The Federation of Indian Students of Australia has called for more criminal trials of spiteful agents. Another victim of Mashru’s swindling tactics is Vikram Singh, who met him when his wife required visa advice. Singh, 28, said he refused a blatant offer from Mashru to secure his residency by arranging a marriage to an Australian, New Zealander or African woman for 5000 Australian dollars. “Chetan said, ‘I have an option for you, if you divorce your wife’,” The Daily Telegraph quoted Singh, as saying. This transpired after Mashru intentionally bungled a visa application for Singh’s actual wife Navneet Kaur, which has resulted in the couple and their children, aged two and six months, being forced to leave Australia this month. Kaur said she had wanted to extend her student visa, but Mashru deceived her into applying as a skilled migrant. She said she was ‘horrified’ to learn that Mashru had falsely listed her job as ‘pharmacist’, and then even refused to refund the 1580 Australian dollar fee. Meanwhile, Mashru has denied all allegations, saying he did not remember Singh and his wife Kaur, and had never applied for marriage visas. “I’m just one small guy in my office in Oxley. Students who cannot get the visa they want will point the finger at anyone,” Mashru said.
