'Marrying' Rajneeshites on Aussie immigration radar

Melbourne, 14 Apr (UNI) The Immigration Department of Australia is investigating a number of Aussie followers of the Indian guru Bhagwan Rajneesh for the alleged sham marriages.

A commune of the disciples of the controversial Indian guru, also known as Osho, at the scenic beach town of Byron Bay has attracted Australian authorities' gaze for breaching immigration laws.

A New South Wales resident had claimed in a recent newspaper article that several members of the Rajneeshite sect, known as 'sanyassins', have been intermarrying just to get Australian permanent residence.

David Honeycombe of Bangalow had made the claim in his article in the The Australian spurring the Department of Immigration and Citizenship into investigating the small community.

According to the news article, most of the 2000-strong sanyassin community members living in Byron Bay town region were born overseas.

The list includes all the five directors of the Mullumbimby-based sanyassin-owned company Melaleuca Properties.

Three of the eight directors of another Rajneeshite commune Osho Mevlana Foundation, according to the newspaper article are also foreigners.

Now all the sanyassins are under the immigration investigation thanks to the media attention drawn by Mr Honeycombe's startling claim.

He is reported to have contacted a Byron Bay police officer after hearing guests at a sanyassin marriage joke about flouting Australian immigration laws by marrying fellow Rajneesh disciples.

"The attitude of the police was that they weren't the slightest bit interested," Mr David Honeycombe was quoted as saying by The Australian. "They seemed to be more interested in not upsetting the locals," he added.

Federal Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews had reportedly said that allegations of sham marriages were viewed "very seriously" by the government.

"The department will undertake an immediate investigation to determine if there are any irregularities in the Byron Bay area," the minister's spokeswoman said in a statement. "Anyone with information should contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship." UNI