Liberal Candidate Reportedly Steps Down Over Sex Offender Reference

A Liberal candidate at the centre of a growing political controversy has reportedly withdrawn, after scrutiny emerged over a character reference provided for a man later convicted of child sex offences.

Dinesh Gourisetty, who had been involved in Liberal Party preselection processes in Melbourne’s west, stepped aside following questions about his connection to the matter.

The Sex Offences Involved a Teenage Girl

Court proceedings confirm the offender was convicted over offences involving a teenage girl, after pleading guilty at an early stage. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment followed by a community corrections order.

Character references submitted to the court formed part of the sentencing process — a standard legal practice — with Gourisetty among those who had provided one.

Wyndham Mayor Preet Singh Also Provided a Reference

Wyndham City Mayor Preet Singh has also been referenced in court reports as having provided a character reference, describing the offender as a “good person” and a “long-term acquaintance”. There is no suggestion that any individual who provided a reference was involved in the offending.

Vetting Processes Under Scrutiny

However, the timeline is now under scrutiny.

Party records indicate Gourisetty was selected as a Liberal delegate for a 2022 Western suburbs preselection contest. That process occurred after the offending had taken place, but before the conviction was finalised.

The sequence of events has raised broader questions within political circles about what information was known, disclosed, or considered during internal vetting processes.

Ongoing Political Tensions

The controversy comes amid ongoing tensions within the Liberal Party following the removal of Moira Deeming from earlier party processes — a saga that continues to reverberate through Victorian politics.

While no findings have been made against any individuals involved in the reference process, the situation has intensified focus on how parties assess candidates and manage reputational risk in high-stakes preselections.

The developments have been reported across multiple media outlets and remain the subject of ongoing public and political discussion.

WyndhamTV does not make any criminal allegations against Dinesh Gourisetty or Preet Singh. The references are directly from the court documents listed where Mr Singh is identified by His Honour Judge Rozen in the transcripts.