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• 10 NRIs in Ont. charged in kidnapping of NRI for missing $300,000 worth of marijuana.
  

Updated by Jay Gill

• NRI, Trucker kidnapping was one of many incidents
  
  When truck driver NRI, 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.....More (3A)
  

NRI abducted, 3 charged & two accused in abduction

Brampton, Jan 19, 2005
Jay Gill, Windsor

NRI Balkar Singh, 33-year-old Brampton trucker abducted into a car and later released on Sunday.

Sukhjit Dhaliwal, 31, of Woodbridge and Amandeep Soos, 25, of Brampton are charged with conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, forcible confinement, aggravated assault and several firearms offences. They remain in custody.

Police refused to confirm that the probe is looking into drug trafficking involving the cross-border and cross-Canada transport of marijuana. It is speculation that the Caledon residence had been used as marijuana grow house was "erroneous."

In the confrontation that followed, a 21-year-old man was killed and a 43-year-old man was wounded.

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Abduction leads to suspect's death
Man forced into car at gunpoint in parking lot

Brampton, Jan 19, 2005
Brampton Guardian
PAM DOUGLAS

More arrests are expected in the strange abduction of a Brampton truck driver that led to a fatal police raid on a Caledon home early Monday morning.

Rajesh Owaan, 21, of Concord was shot and killed in an armed confrontation with Peel police Tactical Unit officers inside the house while Jagdit Singh, 43, of Caledon was hit in the leg. He was taken to Peel Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has 13 investigators assigned to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting, which involved two Peel police officers. A third officer has been designated as a witness by the SIU.

Two gunmen confronted Peel officers at 1:40 a.m. Monday as they executed a search warrant at 14439 Bramalea Rd., north of Mayfield Road, according to the SIU.

Police would not say specifically what led them to the house, but it was part of the investigation into the mysterious gunpoint abduction of Balkar Singh, 33-- who is not related to Jagdit Singh. They were looking for four armed men in connection with the broad daylight abduction three days earlier.

Police say Singh was snatched at gunpoint and forced into a rented minivan in the parking lot of a plaza on the southeast corner of Kennedy Road and Clarence Street at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The minivan, an SUV and a car believed involved in the kidnapping were later recovered.

The minivan was found by a sharp-eyed police officer in the area of Kipling Avenue and Rexdale Avenue. Tips from the public led to the recovery of a Dodge Durango in the area of West Drive and Queen Street East in Brampton and a Chevrolet Malibu in the area of Steeles Avenue and Hwy. 27.

All vehicles were rentals, and at least one was rented from a car rental company in Etobicoke. The Durango had a Nova Scotia licence plate. Handguns-- one possibly a Glock-- were used by his abductors. Singh arrived home in a taxi at 8 p.m. Sunday. He had suffered minor injuries during the ordeal and was treated in hospital before being extensively questioned by police.

Police sources say they believe the abduction was drug-related. Singh is known to police and two years ago he was the victim of a shooting on Hwy. 401 near London. OPP at the time ruled it a case of road rage. Singh, who was driving a truck at the time, was shot in the shoulder.

A police task force has been set up to look for more suspects and a motive for the abduction.

Singh was pulled into a van at gunpoint in broad daylight at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Kennedy Road and Clarence Street. Two cars were also involved in the abduction, according to police.

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).

The SIU is a civilian agency that investigates incidents involving police, which have resulted in serious injury, sexual assault or death. The SIU wants to talk to anyone who has any information about the incident. The unit can be reached at 416-622-2293.