(In Singapore, sham marriages conducted to obtain immigration advantage can lead to a jail term for up to 10 years)
An Indian-origin man in Singapore has been sentenced to six months in prison for arranging a marriage of convenience between a colleague and his niece to gain an immigration advantage, a media report said.
Meeran Gani Nagoor Pitchai, 73, asked Abdul Kader Kasim, an Indian national who wanted to extend his short-term visit pass in 2016, to marry his cash-strapped niece in return for the payment of S$25,000, the TODAY newspaper reported.
Short term visit pass applicants, seeking an extension of 89 days from their date of entry to Singapore, require a local sponsor.
As part of the arrangement, Pitchai arranged for his niece, Noorjan Abdul, to become Kasim’s sponsor.