Migrant's shady past revealed in parliament

By EUGENE BINGHAM

A Fijian convicted criminal approved for residency by the Minister of Immigration faces having his residency revoked after details of his past were revealed in Parliament.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters yesterday identified Bejay Nandan, who has been bankrupted and convicted of shoplifting and forgery since arriving in the country and is charged with fraud involving more than $450,000, and called for him to be deported.

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel ended Mr Nandan's 15-year legal battle to stay in the country in March when she considered his case under special direction and granted him residency.

Mr Nandan, his wife and three children had been fighting to stay in New Zealand since the parents were declared overstayers in 1985.

Papers tabled by Mr Peters show that Mrs Dalziel was aware of three minor convictions from Fiji 20 years ago, a 1987 prosecution for shoplifting and a 1995 conviction for forgery when she considered the 48-year-old's case to remain.

But other papers showed that Mr Nandan - also known as Birja Nand and Birja Nand Prasad - is to stand trial on charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office in relation to a mortgage scam. He was arrested in February this year, a month before his case was put before Mrs Dalziel.

Mr Peters asked how Mr Nandan slipped past the minister and whether she would deport him.

"What more information does she need on this man to send him back to Fiji to join George Speight?"

Mrs Dalziel said she was grateful for Mr Peters' advice.

"I am exceptionally grateful to the member for drawing matters to my attention that I was not aware of when the case was put in front of me. That has led me to reconsider the matter."