Accused Bishnoi gang associate agrees to deportation order

An alleged associate of the India-based Lawrence Bishnoi gang has agreed to deportation from Canada following a hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board. Sahibjot Singh admitted to discharging prohibited weapons for a criminal organization, though he denied being a member of the gang.

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Further, publication of Mr. Singh’s identity would expose him to significant stigma and discrimination in Canada and could place him at additional risk if he were returned to India.

Singh, who appeared via video from his lawyer's office in Edmonton, is among dozens of Indian nationals facing deportation for alleged involvement in extortion gangs. He had attempted to prevent the press from reporting on his case, citing fears of retaliation and potential stigma if returned to India. His lawyer also argued that publicity could bias his upcoming criminal trial in Canada.

Global News successfully challenged the publication ban, asserting that the public has a right to know about individuals allegedly involved in such criminal activities. The World Sikh Organization of Canada also opposed the ban, emphasizing the significant public interest in cases involving alleged Bishnoi gang members. They argued that Canadians should understand how these individuals became involved in Canada and the extent of their activities.

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Canadians should have a right to understand who these individuals are, how they became involved in Canada, the nature and extent of their activities, whether they acted independently or at the direction of others, and what role they may have played in acts of violence, intimidation, and transnational repression.

The Immigration and Refugee Board ultimately ruled against the publication ban on June 26. Board member Trent Cook stated that Canadians are entitled to transparency regarding law enforcement's response to extortion-related crimes and that a public hearing would not prejudice Singh's criminal proceedings. The board noted that Edmonton police have linked extortion gang activity in Alberta to multiple countries, including France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, indicating an international component to the sophisticated network.

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It shows there’s an international component.

Cook described the gang as a "sophisticated network of individuals that relied on one another in order to commit these crimes," functioning as a "longstanding, unified collective of people working in unison to intimidate victims."

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It’s a sophisticated network of individuals that relied on one another in order to commit these crimes.