Six fraudsters rigged English language tests for hundreds of overseas students applying for visa extensions, a court has heard.

The gang allegedly charged 'very large sums of money' to read out the answers to multiple choice tests or provide substitutes to sit the exams on behalf of candidates.

The gang also provided forged bank statements and academic records so non-EU citizens could illegally extend their stay in the UK, Southwark Crown Court heard.

The alleged scheme was intended to help students dishonestly apply for visa extensions from the Home Office.

The scam was uncovered by a BBC Panorama investigation that secretly filmed the rigged examinations taking place.

Harinder Kumar, 31, and Hemant Kumar, 40, are accused of plotting to facilitate the commission of breaches of immigration law between 17 October 2012 and 10 February 2014

Harinder Kumar, 31, Hemant Kumar, 40, Talal Chowdhury, 30, Shaheen Ahmed, 33, Wahida Sultana, 39, and Mohammed Hasan, 37, are accused of plotting to facilitate the commission of breaches of immigration law between 17 October 2012 and 10 February 2014.

The case involves three companies, Studentway Education in Southall, Middlesex, Eden College International in Bow, east London, and Total Care London, in Whitechapel, east London.

The firms ran tests devised by one of the world's largest language testing firms, Educational Training Services Global (ETS), jurors heard.

Prosecutor David Walbank said: 'This case involves the provision by these defendants of fraudulently obtained English-language examination results by having a proxy or a substitute sitting the exam for them, or by having multiple choice tests and simply reading out the answers to them'.

He said the six defendants worked with a number of others to 'exploit the vulnerability' of people who have come to the country on a student visa but have no 'genuine intention to study here'.

Shaheen Ahmed, 33, (left) and and Mohammed Hasan, 37, are also accused of rigging English language tests for hundreds of overseas students

He continued: 'All of this was done by these six defendants and the others with whom they conspired to facilitate, to assist, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of persons who were already here on student visas to lodge fraudulent applications to the Home Office.'

Harinder Kumar and Hemant Kumar, both of Southall, Middlesex, Chowdhury, of Rainham, Gillingham, Ahmed, of Orpington, Kent, Sultana, of Plaistow, east London, and Hasan, of Dagenham, Essex, all deny the charge against them.