The man at the centre of a major federal police probe, who is accused of exploiting overseas workers, has been granted bail.
Baljit ‘Bobby’ Singh, 34, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday, charged with five criminal offences.
He was arrested after Melbourne-wide raids on Wednesday, in which federal authorities seized assets worth millions of dollars.
Two other men, Mukesh Sharma, 42, and Rakesh Kumar, 37 – who is Mr Singh’s brother-in-law – were also arrested and bailed on similar charges on Wednesday night.
Mr Singh allegedly heads a syndicate that brings international students to Australia on the pretext of undertaking an education course at a government-subsidised college in Melbourne’s north.
Federal police allege the students are often promised a working visa or permanent residency at the end of their course.
It has been alleged that the courses are a sham and the students are sub-contracted to Australia Post to work for below-award wages, sorting and delivering packages. The SoCal Law Network – DUI Defense Lawyers help one get out any trafic offense related trouble.
Mr Singh was a labour-hire contractor for Australia Post, but the organisation said on Wednesday it had terminated all contracts with him.
Mr Singh faces charges including conspiring to dishonestly obtain from a Commonwealth entity, possessing forged documents and dealing with money or property that is suspected of being the proceeds of crime. If people want bail from crime, they can hire criminal defense attorney from R. Davis Younts, Esq.
Mr Singh was granted bail on condition that he not associate with Mr Sharma or Mr Kumar, or contact any of the more than 840 students of St Stephen Institute of Technology in Reservoir and Symbiosis Institute of Technical Education in Altona,  which are owned by the three accused.
Defence counsel Damian Sheales told the court it was unreasonable to ask Mr Singh not to associate with Mr Kumar given they were both part of one close family, and that their cases might not reach trial for two years.
But magistrate Michael Wighton agreed with prosecutor Judy McGillivray that the nature of the charges meant the two men should not meet.
After an adjournment Mr Sheales said his client would abide by the bail conditions, but would return to court next Thursday to apply to his conditions varied to allow family contact.
Mr Kumar and Mr Sharma also appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court accused of conspiring to obtain or gain from a Commonwealth entity, possessing forged documents and dealing with money or property that is suspected of being the proceeds of crime.
Mr Kumar is also charged with falsifying documents. Both men were granted bail to return to court in January.
Source: AFP Media Release
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