Canada's Supreme Court gave no reason for refusing to hear the appeal of Bhandher

Court refuses to hear Indo-Canadian killer's appeal

Toronto, May 12, 2013: Canada's Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by convicted Indo-Canadian killer Raminder Bhander who claimed that his rights were violated by the police.

Bhander had approached the country's top court after his appeal was rejected by a court of appeal in the Canadian province of British Columbia in November 2012, the South Asian Link reported. Bhander was convicted in July 2010 and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years for killing another Indo-Canadian man in 2008.

He claimed his rights were violated by police during questioning, when he confessed to the killing.

In January 2008, Bhander, Tejvir Bains and Bains's girlfriend had a fight in a restaurant in Surrey, British Columbia.

After the fight, Bhander went to a friend's house, and from there the two men went with a loaded rifle to a townhouse shared by Bains and his girlfriend.

As Bhander approached the house, Bains came down with a sword in hand.

Bhander then shot Bains four times, twice in the back, killing him on the spot.

He was found guilty of second-degree murder.

According to the report, the Supreme Court gave no reason for refusing to hear the appeal.

During the trial, Bhander admitted he shot Bains, but claimed it was in self-defence.

At the time of Bhander’s conviction, police said Bhander was a long-time gangster who was heavily involved in the drug trade and who they were happy to see off the streets.

“He was certainly a thug, who liked to beat on people and settle disputes as he did with this one,” said Cpl. Dale Carr, then-spokesman for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). “Not a guy we want in the neighbourhood.”

NRI Bhandher faces first-degree murder charge in Surrey shooting death of Tejvir Singh Bains

Air India witness makes appearance on murder charge.
SURREY, B.C, February 26, 2008
By Kim BolanPublished
CANOE-wire

Smiling and waving at associates, accused killer Raminder Singh (Mindy) Bhandher made his first appearance in Surrey provincial court Monday on a charge that he shot a young man last month.

Bhandher had spent the weekend in jail after being arrested in Vancouver on Friday while driving with his close associate Amardeep Singh (Lali) Narwal.

Narwal was in court Monday, along with gangster Nachatar Singh (Nash) Bagri and members of Bhandher's family and his wife, Feroozan Noori.

The 30-year-old Bhandher, who was a key defence witness at the Air India trial for Ripudaman Singh Malik, is accused of killing Tejvir Singh (Sunny) Bains in a brazen evening shooting.

Bains was with his girlfriend, Ripy Kaur Jubbal, in their home when the 24-year-old was struck by gunfire.

Police have not revealed a motive for the shooting, but Canwest News Service has learned the murder happened after an argument broke out.

Jubbal is the former common-law spouse of Nash Bagri, a constant companion of Bhandher's, but the couple broke up last year.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has worked intensely on the Bains murder since the Jan. 28 slaying, RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr said Monday.

"Although we are not convinced that this is gang-related in the traditional sense, certainly to make an arrest in a high-profile case like this one so quickly is a relief."

Investigators have prepared a solid case, Carr said, leading to approval of the first-degree murder charge.

"Our team worked on this essentially daily since Sunny Bains was murdered," Carr said.

Despite the serious charge he is facing, Bhandher appeared relaxed, hands in pockets, wearing a casual Fila golf shirt. He gestured to his associates, appearing to tell one of them he would call him.

Bhandher, whose father Balwant remains a suspect in the 1985 Air India bombing, was called by Malik to refute the testimony of the Crown's star witness at the Air India trial. She had claimed to overhear Malik and Bhandher discussing incriminating information about the bombing in April 1997.

Bhandher and some of his associates were on hand to support Malik when the Air India verdict came down on March 16, 2005, acquitting the Vancouver businessman.

 

Bhander’s conviction, police said Bhander was a long-time gangster who was heavily involved in the drug trade and who they were happy to see off the streets.