An Indian man, Nishanth Parakudiyil Prahladan, faces deportation from New Zealand after he pleaded guilty to having sought sex from a 13-year-old girl whom he thought was 19. The 25-year-old migrant worker contacted the girl in 2023 once and paid $250. He messaged and attempted to call the girl again but did not meet her. As the ring got busted, he was arrested and was charged with entering into a contract for the provision of sexual services from a minor, to which he pleaded guilty.
In 2025, he sought a discharge without conviction as his visa status would be affected. But he was convicted and was sentenced to six months and two weeks of home detention. As a result of that conviction, Immigration New Zealand served him with a deportation liability notice. After a review was declined, Prahladan appealed to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal on humanitarian grounds.
