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Indian Diaspora: South Asian community in the news for wrong reasons?
Recent disclosures by the Peel Regional Police generally relate to members of the South Asian Community, both as victims and suspects in the growing incidence of violent crime, including extortion.
Representative Image. / Pexels
The vibrant South Asian Community of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has sometimes been hawking media headlines for the wrong reasons.
Recent disclosures by the Peel Regional Police Extortion Investigative Task Force (EITF) generally relate to members of the South Asian Community, both as victims and suspects in the growing incidence of violent crime, including extortion.
The EITF claimed that it has made multiple arrests and seized four firearms in connection with recent extortion-related incidents occurring in Brampton and Mississauga, targeting the South Asian business community.
Bandhuman Sekhon (27) from British Columbia, Harmanjiit Singh from Brampton, Tajinder Tatla from Brampton, Dinesh Kumar from Hamilton, and Rukhsar Achakzai from Brampton were among the recent arrests made by the EITF.
They have been arrested in connection with the incidents that include damage to property, threats of violence, and firearm-related offences. Victims of these incidents are often contacted through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp and Facebook, which allow online chat groups. In the majority of the cases, the victims, too, come from the South Asian Community.
EITF says it continues to work closely with law enforcement partners across Canada to investigate these incidents. It further says that if anyone receives a demand for money under the threat of violence, they should call the police rather than make any form of payment.
Most recently, the EITF has arrested five additional suspects, seized four firearms, and laid multiple charges. These threats have all included demands for large sums of money under the threat of violence. EITF said it arrested Bandhumaan Sekhon, a 27-year-old from British Columbia, for an incident reported in January of 2024. He was charged with the Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device or Ammunition, Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm, Careless Use of a Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, and Possess Firearm with altered Serial Number.
He was held in custody for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton and has since been released with court-imposed conditions.
EITF also revealed the arrest of Harmanjit Singh, a 25-year-old from Brampton, for an incident that occurred in May of 2024. He was charged with Extortion, Utter Threat to Cause Bodily Harm or Death, Point Firearm, Assault with a Weapon, and Obstruct Peace Officer. He was held in custody for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton and has since been released with court-imposed conditions.
The third arrest made by EITF was of Tejinder Tatla, a 44-year-old from Brampton. He was arrested for threats that were made toward a business owner and his family members in June. A search warrant led to the seizure of three firearms during this investigation. He has been charged with Extortion and Unsafe Storage. He was held in custody for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton and has since been released with court-imposed conditions.
EITF also arrested Rukhsar Achakzai, a 21-year-old from Brampton, for incidents dating back to September 2023. She was charged with Extortion and Mischief under $5000.00. She was held in custody for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton and has since been released with court-imposed conditions.
Dinesh Kumar, a 24-year-old from Hamilton, was arrested for an incident of July. He was charged with Extortion, EITF said. Dinesh Kumar was released from custody with a future court date and conditions to abide by.
The EITF claimed it investigated over 60 incidents, made 21 arrests, and laid 154 criminal charges. These investigations have also led to the seizure of 20 firearms, over 11kg of methamphetamines, over $10,000 in proceeds of crime, and the recovery of 6 stolen vehicles.
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