PUBLISHED ONMay 21, 2026 12:59 PMBYSean LerThree people, comprising two Singaporeans and one Indian national, were charged by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday (May 21) for various immigration offences.
The offences include allegedly harbouring and employing immigration offenders and intentionally aiding the possession of unlawfully altered visit passes.
Kanojiya, a 26-year-old Indian national, was arrested during an enforcement operation at Block 405 Hougang Avenue 10 on March 3.
He is accused of providing 13 overstayers — 11 men and two women — with lodging, despite them having remained unlawfully in Singapore after the expiry of their visit passes.
The 13 were issued with stern warnings and have since been deported and barred from re-entering Singapore.
In two other separate cases, Song, a 37-year-old Singaporean man, and Suba, a 32-year-old Singaporean woman, were each charged for allegedly employing Indian nationals who did not have a valid work permit.
The two Indian nationals had remained unlawfully in Singapore after the expiry of their respective work permit and short-term visit pass (STVP).
They were issued with stern warning, deported, and barred from re-entering Singapore.
In addition to the said charge, Suba was also alleged to have obtained unlawfully altered STVPs, and on four occasions misled her worker into believing that he had a valid pass to remain in Singapore.
The worker, Muniyan Selvaraj Prakash, 26, originally had a valid work permit, but she defaulted on levy payments, resulting in the cancellation of Muniyan's work permit.
Even after he was issued with a STVP, Suba reportedly failed to successfully apply for a new work permit for him, before the expiry of his STVP.
In its statement, ICA said it takes a firm stance against anyone who harbours immigration offenders.
"Those who wish to rent out their premises must exercise due diligence in checking the immigration status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their stay in Singapore is legal," said the authority.
Anyone found guilty of recklessly or knowingly harbouring overstayers or illegal immigrants faces a mandatory jail term of between six months and two years, along with a fine of up to $6,000.
Meanwhile, anyone found guilty of negligently harbouring overstayers or illegal immigrants faces a fine of up to $6,000 and/or up to 12 months' jail.
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