Salim Mehajer and his sister Fatima accused of local council voting fraud

SALIM Mehajer and his sister accused of fraudulently enrolling 10 family members among allegedly dodgy electoral enrolment forms in 2012 council elections.

AUBURN’S suspended deputy mayor Salim Mehajer and his sister are ­accused of fraudulently enrolling 10 family members among 76 allegedly dodgy electoral enrolment forms in the 2012 council elections.

The 29-year-old millionaire didn’t attend Downing Centre Local Court as the Australian Federal Police began its prosecution of him, his sister Fatima, her husband Jamal Elkheir and five others over irregularities in Auburn Council’s 2012 election.

The Mehajers, through lawyer Phillip Green, pleaded not guilty to using a false document, their candidate information and nomination sheet, and to 76 counts of using a forged document, the enrolment forms, in the 2012 local government election.

Mr Mehajer was also absent from court as his family business Mehajer Bros faced proceedings launched by the State Debt Recovery Office.

Instead of Mr Mehajer’s usual crack team of lawyers, a man wearing a T-shirt and shorts who described himself as a PA attended to represent the company.

Magistrate Lia Rossi ­adjourned the matter and ­ordered Mr Mehajer appear or provide written authority for a representative. The matter will return to Burwood Local Court on February 11.

Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer / Picture: Jonathan Ng