Details of the campaign run by Wyndham councillor and Labor figure Intaj Khan were revealed at the weekend by The Sunday Age, including one candidate claiming to head a disability charity not registered with the federal regulator.

On Sunday chief municipal inspector David Wolf confirmed the Victorian Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate is "investigating matters related to Wyndham Council including electoral matters".

He said the inspectorate could not comment on specifics while the investigation was ongoing.

The Age understands the inspectorate has extended an existing investigation of Cr Khan and his property interests launched in September, to include the conduct of his October campaign.

The earlier probe was launched after another Sunday Age report in September revealed Cr Khan's repeated failure to declare property and commercial interests, including large swaths of farmland in the fast developing municipality.

Cr Khan, loosely linked to Premier Daniel Andrew's left Labor sub-faction, is eyeing a state parliamentary seat in Melbourne's outer west.

At the weekend The Sunday Age revealed how Cr Khan was narrowly elected from a record field of 95 candidates on the preferences of a team of dummy running mates, some enrolled – but not resident – at properties owned by him, and/or claiming to work at what appear to be phantom organisations.

The Sunday Age investigation raised serious questions about the conduct of the Khan campaign including:

• One candidate claiming to head up a disability charity registered with the federal Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC). In fact she was a Khan employee, and the charity was not registered with the ACNC.
• At least two candidates enrolled but not living at properties in Wyndham owned by Mr Khan.
• Another candidate enrolled but not living at a Hoppers Crossing property she had sold in 2015.

A candidate's nomination that includes the misuse of an address is a serious offence under the Local Government Act and carries a penalty of up to two years' jail or substantial fines.

It was the allegation of such a breach that stopped Brooke Wandin taking up her position at Melbourne City Council after the October election. Ms Wandin, along with running mate and Labor activist Richard Foster, now face prosecution over allegations she unlawfully nominated for the council election.

The Wyndham election count showed that Cr Khan received 2245 votes in the poll, just over 7 per cent of the primary vote and scraped home by just 54 votes. His running mates collectively delivered him 632 votes.

Renowned for lavish ways including his red Ferrari and plans for a $10 million Tarneit mansion, Cr Khan had hoped to win the Wyndham mayoralty as a stepping stone to a parliamentary seat.

Indian born and raised, Cr Khan arrived in Australia in 1998. In less than a decade he amassed a $70 million fortune, his wealth coming from his controversial private training college and property speculation in and around Wyndham.

With others he has been linked to widespread ALP branch stacking. His property speculation and failure to properly declare his holdings have been a headache for a council on Melbourne's fringe where rezoning and development generates vast riches for landowners.

In an interview on Friday, Cr Khan denied bankrolling dummy candidates, insisting his team was made up of genuine hopefuls running a clean and honest campaign.

He said the high number of candidates contesting the election was not due to the field being flooded with dummies, but instead "a true reflection of democracy". "My campaign was a true campaign. It cost me time, money and effort.

"I worked really hard. I faced the toughest competition, with people encouraging people to not vote for me ... simply because I am high profile," he said.

Cr Khan would not comment when asked if any candidates were enrolled at properties or businesses owned by him, later noting: "I have many properties."

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