Holi overstayers: A concert in Pukekohe, consulate's letter and a Delhi connection
A video of prime minister Christopher Luxon dancing with Shibani Kashyap in Auckland last year went viral.
As many as 10 people travelling were described as folk dancers, none turned up at the event.
A letter from India’s diplomatic mission in Auckland to immigration officials in January laid out specifically why an elaborate Bollywood troupe needed to travel from India for a performance that is now at the centre of a visa probe.
In a letter to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on January 27, 2026, the Consulate General of India expressed its support for the 'Community Holi Celebration with [singer] Shibani Kashyap'.
"The Consulate General of India, Auckland, in collaboration with CD Foundation (India), is supporting an upcoming international cultural programme...scheduled to take place in Auckland from 15th to 22nd February 2026," read the letter, a copy of which is with Awaaz.
On Wednesday, Kashyap spoke to Awaaz to express shock over the news, and said she had no clue an entourage was travelling for her performance.
New Delhi-based CD Foundation's website describes itself as working across international cultural programming that brings together artists, entrepreneurs, businesses and diplomatic missions for events centred on cultural exchange, tourism and cultural diplomacy.
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Diplomatic missions writing support letters for cultural and community events is quite common and, in fact, a part of their official remit. At the time of publishing this story, Awaaz was still awaiting an official response from the Consulate General of India.
The consulate's letter supported granting of visas to 29 people for the extravaganza, of which 16 were meant to take part in Kashyap's performance headlining the affair in Pukekohe on February 21.
Ten of these were described as folk dancers to support Kashyap's performance. The singer now says she wasn't aware anyone else was travelling from India to be on stage with her. Guests who attended the show on February 21 say Kashyap performed alone on stage that day.
The consulate's support letter describes six others as "models", ostensibly to take part in the Holi-themed fashion show that never happened. The organisers told Awaaz the models didn't turn up, and they let the floor open to DJ after Kashyap's performance.
INZ's director of visa Jock Gilray told Awaaz it's normal for approved promoters to bring staff and performers for arts and music festivals, or short-term entertainment acts, to New Zealand as visitors.
"This group did not come to New Zealand under an approved promoter or have a formal sponsor. Although the Indian Consul General supported this group’s visa applications, there are no formal duties or responsibilities associated with this role," Gilray said.
He added that support from an organisation like a diplomatic mission is one of many factors that are considered when assessing a visa application.
The consulate's letter describes the trip as not only a Bollywood performance but rather a more elaborate cultural experience split into two distinct components. The other segment was the screening of a documentary.
The 20-minute film captured the visit of a Maori cultural delegation to India in January this year. The idea behind the documentary was to highlight shared cultural traditions and artistic collaboration between the two countries.
This second group required nine members to travel from India, according to the consulate's support letter; including one filmmaker, one director of photography, two videographers and three cameramen, along with two coordinators who would typically handle logistics and production management.
The documentary was screened at the event.
INZ granted visas to all 11 overstayers at the eleventh hour
All the 11 people from the touring group that have overstayed beyond their visa conditions were granted visas just a day before the event was scheduled to take place, sources told Awaaz.
While the consulate's support letter was issued on January 27, INZ issued a limited purpose visa to 11 people on February 20, a day before the performance. These visas expired on March 6.
INZ's Gilray pointed out many of the visa applications for this group were lodged around February 4. "We were assessing the applications, including liaising with Risk and Verification teams, the Consul General, the performer and with the applicants, until they were finalised," he said.
"The information provided suggested the event did not finish until 22 February. We can’t go into further detail to protect the integrity of our decision-making processes."
CD Foundation and Charu Das
At the centre of the touring performance is CD Foundation, a New Delhi-based cultural platform led by founder Charu Das. The organisation is believed to be the main facilitator for Shibani Kashyap's group.
The same organisation was involved in organising a series of culinary and cultural events in and around Auckland to mark India's Independence Day last year.
That extravaganza, titled The World and Us, also featured performances by Shibani Kashyap, including one at Dew Drop Events Centre on August 16, 2025, where the singer danced with prime minister Christopher Luxon and leader of opposition Chris Hipkins.
INZ officials have confirmed every member of the visiting troupe last year had returned to India as per their visa conditions.
What Charu Das says about Kashyap's involvement
We reached out to Charu Das on Tuesday, but we hadn't heard from her at the time of publishing the story. She has yet to speak publicly about the scandal, but Kashyap has shared with Awaaz a clarification that Das has purportedly provided to her.
That statement says Kashyap "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".
The statement goes on to say CD Foundation was the main organising body coordinating the event. "Her (Kashyap's) involvement was limited strictly to her role as a performing artist associated directly with our organisation and programme."
Local organiser
On the New Zealand side, the event appears to have been mainly promoted locally by realtor Ginni Parvezz and Akhilesh Chaudhary.
Parvezz owns a property agency. The realtor told Awaaz he was shocked to hear the news of the overstayers. "I got to know of it from the news. We organise a lot of events for the community. We weren't directly involved in arranging for Ms Kashyap's travel."
The other local promoter was Akhilesh Chaudhary, a Pukekohe local, who has been in the hospitality and real estate industry. Chaudhary told Awaaz he was shocked to hear the news of the overstayers. "I couldn't believe it. Ultimately, the truth will come out. I had nothing to do with it."
The Pukekohe Indian Association says the organisers reached out to them to hire the venue, and that their involvement was "strictly limited to acting as the venue partner".
"All arrangements regarding the performance and personnel were the sole responsibility of the hiring party...[we] had no role in organising the event, managing logistics, or coordinating the celebrity guest and her performance troupe," it said in a statement.
