Shibani Kashyap performs during Holi celebrations in Pukekohe, South Auckland, in February. Photo: Supplied
A letter obtained by RNZ shows the Consulate General of India in Auckland supported visa applications for more than two dozen people as part of an "cultural delegation" that attended a Holi event in Auckland last month.
The delegation travelled to New Zealand for an international cultural programme titled "Community Holi Celebration with Shibani Kashyap", according to the letter.
Immigration New Zealand said Tuesday it was trying to locate almost a dozen cultural performers believed to have overstayed their visas after arriving for the event.
Eighteen people from the group arrived in New Zealand. Of those, three have since left the country and 15 remained in the country, according to Immigration New Zealand.
Four held valid visitor visas, the agency said.
The agency confirmed to RNZ it had received a support letter for 29 visa applicants from the Indian diplomatic mission in Auckland.
The letter said Delhi-based CD Foundation was working with the consulate and spearheading the "cultural diplomacy initiative".
Founded by Charu Das, CD Foundation has previously been involved in cultural exchanges between New Zealand and India.
RNZ has approached CD Foundation, the Indian Consulate and the Indian High Commission for comment.
In August, CD Foundation organised a New Zealand chapter of the "World & Us" cultural exchange series in Auckland, Hamilton and Whangārei.
This was followed by an Indian chapter in January, where a 30-member Māori delegation participated in cultural exchanges across Delhi, Telangana and Odisha.
Meanwhile, members of the Indian community in Auckland said some performers had sought help after arriving in the country.
Licensed immigration adviser Jagjeet Singh said two men had approached him, seeking advice about applying for asylum.
"I met two guys who were walking outside Sikh temple, and someone told them about my office," Singh said.
Singh said both men were on limited visas and he advised them to return to India.
He said the pair had paid about 20 lakh rupees (around $40,000) to come to New Zealand.
Singh said the two men had told him they were travelling by bus to Whangamatā.
He believed they intended to stay longer in New Zealand and that the money they paid was for a pathway that they thought would eventually lead to a work visa and residency.
A South Auckland lawyer said he had also been approached by several members of the delegation.
Raj Pardeep Singh, a principal barrister and solicitor at Legal Associates in Papatoetoe, said four people visited his office seeking advice.
Singh said he encouraged them to consider legal migration pathways such as student visas or options under New Zealand's Green List.
"It is important for people to follow their visa conditions," he said.
A community leader from the Indian state of Haryana said he had also been contacted by several individuals for help to remain in the country.
Sunil Kumar initially agreed to meet the group because they were from his home state in India.
"I met a few people who were seeking help to stay in New Zealand while they still had a valid visa, but I advised them to go back and told them that this is not the right way to stay in New Zealand," Kumar said.
Kumar said the group told him they had been duped by agents in India who took advantage of them coming from a less-developed part of Haryana.
Meanwhile, Bollywood singer Shibani Kashyap distanced herself from the overstayer issue.
"I'm very upset that my name has been dragged into this without any clarification from me," Kashyap told RNZ from India.
Kashyap said she travelled alone for the event and did not bring musicians or performers with her to New Zealand.
"It was a solo performance. I had no team or performers travelling with me for the event in Pukekohe last month," she said.
"Visas and tickets are highly expensive, so I never travel with a group of musicians to countries like New Zealand because it's next to impossible."
Kashyap said the event was organised by CD Foundation.
"CD Foundation, Charu Das' foundation, was spearheading the whole thing," she said. "What the foundation does, who she calls and what she's doing - that's not my responsibility."
Asked about the performers who had overstayed, Kashyap said she had no knowledge of them.
"I have no clue who those people are," she said. "I had only come for my performance and to launch and unveil World & Us documentary."
CD Foundation also released a statement, saying Kashyap was the sole featured artist of the Holi celebration in Pukekohe.
"She is in no way responsible for, connected with, or associated with any individual members of the wider cultural delegation, other than her professional engagement with CD Foundation as a featured artist for the programme, with CD Foundation being the organising body coordinating the event," the statement said.
The statement did not include any reference to those who had overstayed their visas.
Kashyap has previously appeared at several CD Foundation events and has been described as a cultural ambassador for the organisation.
She has also performed in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and New Zealand as part of CD Foundation programmes.
RNZ understands many of the visas for the delegation were approved by Immigration New Zealand on 20 February - a day before the event was scheduled to take place.
Immigration New Zealand told RNZ that some applications take longer to process "which may mean that they are decided close to the intended travel date".
"Our ambition is to provide a trusted and effective immigration service," said Jack Gilray, director visa at Immigration New Zealand.
"We aim to strike the balance between facilitating visitors and protecting New Zealand from immigration risk."
The agency told RNZ that investigation teams would review information relating to the visas issued to the cultural performers.
Immigration New Zealand also said it was unable to reveal details about asylum claims.
"We cannot confirm whether asylum claims have been received from any members of this cohort, as, under section 151 of the Immigration Act 2009, the identity and details of refugee and protection claimants, or even the fact that a person has claimed asylum, must be kept confidential at all times," Gilray said.
