Trucker
Balkar Singh's kidnapping was one of many incidents
Brampton, Feb 10, 2006
The Guardian
PAM DOUGLAS
When truck driver Balkar Singh was brazenly snatched
at gunpoint in broad daylight from a plaza parking
lot, it wasn't the first time a GTA-area man had been
kidnapped and beaten, Peel police have revealed.
Three others were also abducted at different times
that same week, held captive several days, beaten
and threatened. None of the victims, all men in their
30s, called police to report the abductions, but they
told detectives about it when they were tracked down
during the investigation into Singh's kidnapping.
The smuggling of marijuana and possibly other drugs
into the United States appears to be at the heart
of the case, according to police sources. Police believe
a search for a stolen load of marijuana led to the
abductions and beatings. The 300 kg of marijuana was
destined for delivery across the border by transport
truck from a Springdale home last month, sources say.
The victims suffered minor injuries, but never reported
being kidnapped after they were released. Witnesses
reported Singh's kidnapping in the parking lot at
Kennedy Road and Clarence Street January 13. It sparked
an intense search for the 33-year-old that ended when
he returned home in a taxi two days later.
The men were held at various locations in Peel and
Toronto, but police would not give any more details.
Not all were grabbed at gunpoint like Singh.
Peel police rounded up four more suspects during early-morning
raids Wednesday and say more arrests are in the works.
Three Brampton men and a Maple resident were arrested
and held on a string of charges. Three others were
charged last month.
Several charges laid
Brampton's Amandeep Soos, 25, and Abitabh Sharma,
25, and Jaskaranjit Singh, 35, and Maple's Harmesh
Singh, 41, have been charged with conspiracy to kidnap,
conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, forcible
confinement, kidnapping, kidnapping using a firearm
and aggravated assault. Not all of the four have been
charged with being involved in all four kidnappings,
according to police.
The investigation has taken some strange twists. Police
have now obtained a tape of Singh reportedly made
while he was being held captive and beaten. The tape
is being translated from Punjabi into English, according
to Det. Jim Dolan, officer in charge of the special
22 Division task force set up to investigate the abductions.
Dolan said police believe they have found all of the
kidnap victims, but the investigation is ongoing and
more suspects are sought.
Meanwhile, an investigation by the province's Special
Investigations Unit into the fatal shooting by Peel
police Tactical Unit officers has not yet concluded.
Rajesh Owaan, 21, of Concord was shot and killed by
police in a confrontation inside a house on Bramalea
Road north of Mayfield Road. Gunmen inside the house
confronted officers as they attempted to execute a
search warrant in relation to Singh's abduction, according
to police.
Jagdeep Singh, 43, of Hamilton was also inside the
house and he was hit in the leg by a bullet. He has
since been released from hospital and charged with
breach of probation, breach of recognizance and several
firearms offences, but no charges were laid against
him in connection with the abductions.
Sukhjit Dhaliwal, 31, of Woodbridge, and Amandeep
Soos, 25, of Brampton were charged last month with
conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit aggravated
assault, forcible confinement, aggravated assault
and several firearms offences.
Anyone with information is asked to call the 22 Division
Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-453-2121, ext.
2233, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
