‘Money paid for entry’

THE Indian journalist accused of a people-smuggling racket into the Commonwealth Games was allegedly paid thousands of dollars for each of the eight fake reporters he ushered into the country.

Rakesh Kumar Sharma – an investigative journalist from northern India with limited understanding of English – is charged with aggravated peoplesmuggling offences that carry a minimum of five years in jail.

Last week, the 46-year-old was stopped at Brisbane International Airport along with eight other Indian men, who were claiming to be journalists, when authorities became suspicious of them travelling to Brisbane from Bangkok.

Sharma allegedly told Australian Border Force officers that he knew the eight men in his company were farmers, despite some of them having fake media accreditation and visas allowing them into the country specifically for the Games.

The bogus media contingent – aged between 20 and 47 – was booted from country less than 24 hours later.

Sharma, who has actual accreditation to cover the Commonwealth Games, remains in custody. His matter was mentioned briefly in the Brisbane Magistrates Court yesterday but he did not appear. The case was adjourned until May 11.

Sharma is understood to have left his position with a newspaper in the northern Indian state of Haryana about five months ago. He is yet to enter pleas to his charges.