Sundeep Singh Mann, 42, was sentenced to two years less a day after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm in the death of Ky Tran, 61, and serious injury to her husband.
“The judge, I think she actually understood and read through all the victim impact statements,” said Lisa Tran, the victim’s daughter.
“Our Canadian laws aren’t very good, and we just didn’t think she was going to give him that long. But she gave him what the Crown asked, and we are quite happy with it.”
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Four people involved in a fatal head-on collision on Highway 1 in West Vancouver, last week were Indian international students, police said.
The West Vancouver Police Department said a vehicle travelling eastbound in the westbound lanes near Westport Road crashed head-on into another vehicle around 11:40 p.m. on June 26.
Four men, all Indian nationals with temporary student visas, were in the vehicle heading westbound, police said; two of them, aged 20 and 21 years old, were killed.
The other two, aged 19 and 20, were seriously injured, police said.
The sole occupant of the vehicle heading eastbound in the westbound lanes was a 26-year-old woman, also a foreign national, according to police. No update on the woman’s condition was given.
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An Environment Canada meteorologist says British Columbians should brace for an upcoming heat wave that’s expected to send temperatures into the high 30s and beyond in the southern Interior.
Warning preparedness meteorologist Armel Castellan says the heat will start on Vancouver Island and move east across the province, hitting the Interior over the latter part of the weekend.
The forecast for Kamloops shows daytime highs of 40 C next Monday and Tuesday, which would be enough to trigger a heat warning.
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Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Rana can be extraditable to India: US attorney
Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, who is sought in India for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, is extraditable under the plain provisions of the US-India extradition treaty, a US attorney has told a federal court.
Assistant US Attorney, Criminal Appeals
Chief Bram Alden was making a closing argument before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where Rana has appealed against the order by a US District Court in California that denied the writ of habeas corpus.
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There were tears of relief in a Richmond,
courtroom on Wednesday as the wrong-way driver who caused a fatal crash in the George
B.C. hereditary chief gets house arrest for pipeline blockade
A Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief will serve a 60-day jail sentence under house arrest for disrupting pipeline construction through Wet’suwet’en traditional territory in northern British Columbia in October 2021.
“A jail sentence is required in this case,” said Justice Michael Tammen as he passed sentence Wednesday afternoon in the B.C. Supreme Court in Smithers.
“He caused a significant degree of disruption for the workers and the pipeline construction.”
Chief Dtsa’hyl, also known as Adam Gagnon, was convicted of criminal contempt for publicly and willfully defying a court order to stay away from Coastal GasLink’s pipeline construction.
During the trial, the court heard that the chief and his supporters seized multiple pieces of heavy equipment and machinery and disabled them by cutting wires and removing batteries. The chief and his supporters also blockaded a road to a pipeline work camp for two days. The court heard that several hundred pipeline workers were living at the camp and relied on the access road for food,
Goldie Ghamari, an Ottawa-area MPP, has been removed from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario caucus by Premier Doug Ford.
“This decision follows repeated instances of serious lapses in judgment and a failure to collaborate constructively with caucus leadership and as a team member,” a spokesperson said in a brief written statement issued Friday morning.
“While this decision did not come easily, it has become clear that MPP Ghamari can no longer continue in her role within our caucus.”
water, fuel, and waste disposal.
According to the judgment, Chief Dtsa’hyl appeared in social media videos and called the court injunction obtained by Coastal GasLink “bogus as hell” because the Wet’suwet’en owned and had jurisdiction over the territory through which the pipeline was being built. Chief Dtsa’hyl testified that as a leader, he had a duty to protect Wet’suwet’en land, water, burial sites, and historic trails from the degradation of pipeline construction. He said his actions against Coastal GasLink upheld the traditional Wet’suwet’en law of trespass.
During the sentencing hearing this week, defence lawyer Rebecca McConchie said the chief’s actions needed to be understood in the context of “the oppression of Wet’suwet’en people in colonial history and the ongoing issues with unceded land.”
The defence said the criminal contempt case punished the chief “for upholding Indigenous law because doing so breached a colonial court order.”
Party
The statement didn’t elaborate on the “repeated instances of serious lapses in judgement” that contributed to the decision.
Ghamari wrote, “when one door closes, another one opens” while sharing a reporter’s tweet with a screenshot of the statement from Ford’s office. Ghamari’s removal came after multiple calls from the National Council of Canadian Muslims for her removal from caucus after meeting with Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist with a history of Islamophobic views.
Coming to Canada for a better life doesn’t appear to be the reality for many new Canadians.
A new poll from the Angus Reid Institute released Wednesday shows immigrants are thinking about leaving, with the lack of affordable housing cited as the top reason.
“Consider that while three-in-10 Canadians (28 per cent) say they’re giving serious consideration to leaving their province of residence due to housing affordability, this number rises to 39 per cent for those who have lived in the country for less than a decade,” the poll found.
The survey considers a “new immigrant” as someone who has lived in the country for 10 years or less. It adds the housing struggles are underscored in the country’s two hottest housing markets — Vancouver and Toronto.
“The long-term risk would be one of losing the workforce required to keep the city cores humming. In Downtown Toronto, 44 per cent say they consider leaving, with 22 per cent saying this is a strong current consideration. Similar
numbers also say this in the surrounding 905 area code. In Metro Vancouver, one-in-three (33 per cent) aren’t sure if that region is a long-term home,” said Angus Reid.
Some Canadians polled expressed concerns that while the real estate market has cooled slightly recently because of high interest rates, as those come down, things will heat up again.
“Though the countrywide ramp up of housing prices has slowed, rent has continued to rise across the country, with some provinces seeing year-over-year average rent increases of more than 17 per cent,” the poll shared.
The housing issue doesn’t just affect homeowners. “Renters across the country are feeling the pinch of rising rent across the country.
Approaching two in five (38 per cent) say they are seriously thinking of leaving their province because of housing costs. Homeowners are less likely to be contemplating leaving, but more than one-quarter (28 per cent) of those still paying off their mortgage are considering finding cheaper housing elsewhere.”
Rishi Sunak loses election
Rishi Sunak has confided to members of his inner circle that he is fearful of losing his Yorkshire constituency at the general election, the Guardian has been told.
The prime minister, who would be the first sitting leader of the country to lose his seat, told confidants before a Conservative rally on Tuesday that he thought the vote in Richmond and Northallerton was too close to call. In 2019, he won the seat with a majority of more than 27,000 and 63% of the vote. One source said: “He is genuinely fearful of a defeat in Richmond: the risk that it
could be tight has hit him hard. He’s rattled – he can’t quite believe it’s coming so close.” Another source added: “He’s taken so much friendly fire from his own side I’m amazed he’s had the strength to keep going.”
A Conservative source flatly denied Sunak feared losing in his constituency, saying: “The PM is confident he will hold his seat.”
Mel Stride, a close ally of the prime minister, said on Wednesday that Labour was likely to win “the largest majority any party has ever achieved”.
South Asian husband jailed for life for murdering wife
A man who admitted to murdering his wife in Abbotsford, B.C., has received a life sentence.
On Thursday, Inderjit Singh Sandhu was sentenced to life in prison without parole eligibility for 13 years.
Sandhu entered his guilty plea for a seconddegree murder charge in the killing of 45-yearold Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu back in late April. Kamaljit and Inderjit were married.
On July 28, 2022, Abbotsford police responded to a call about an assault at a home on Eastview Street, near George Ferguson Way and Ware Street. When officers arrived, they found 45-year-old Kamaljit suffering from lifethreatening injuries. She died shortly after.
The then-48-year-old Inderjit Sandhu was arrested at the scene, according to police. B.C.’s homicide police team worked alongside Abbotsford police and the BC Coroners Service in the investigation.
At the time of the homicide, advocates and police said there was a rise in intimate partner violence during the pandemic which lasted into 2022.
“We did see an uptick during the pandemic, which was mostly led because people were at home and we actually had neighbours reporting it more than the individuals,” Cpl. Alexa Hodgins with Burnaby RCMP said.
Angela Marie MacDougall, with Battered Women’s Support Services, said the rising number of killings at the time was “concerning.”
“It’s so concerning,” she said in 2022. “More than last year, more than the year before, and thus far there has been no action taken in terms of government policies to increase services, both provincially and federally.”
Statistics from the Canadian Femicide Observatory showed 88 women and girls were killed in Canada in the first six months of 2022.
3 more B.C. NDP ministers say they won’t seek re-election
Three veteran B.C. NDP cabinet ministers announced this week they won’t seek reelection in October. Rob Fleming, the MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake, made the announcement in a statement Thursday morning. Fleming is currently the transportation minister and previously oversaw the education file. “There’s no perfect time to leave but this seemed like the right time for me.” Fleming, 52, told CBC News. “It was a tough decision. There’s reasons to stay and reasons to go. Part of it is you have to support renewal. You can’t just hang on.”
Fleming said when he was first elected in 2005 at age 33, he didn’t expect to have a nearly 20year career in politics. He said he’s not leaving provincial politics to seek a career at the federal
level, which other MLAs have done.
Bruce Ralston, 71, the MLA for SurreyWhalley and the forests minister, and Harry Bains, who represents Surrey-Newton and oversees the labour file, also announced this week they’re not seeking a sixth term in office. While this decision was not made lightly, I have decided to not run in the next election and allow someone new to continue the work we have begun,” Bains, 72, said in a statement.
That will leave the New Democrats without incumbents in two key battleground ridings in Surrey. An Angus Reid poll released last month showed the B.C. Conservatives under Leader John Rustad gaining ground on the governing NDP in areas of Surrey.
B.C. communities get $1.6B in federal infrastructure funds
Three levels of government say they’ve finalized a deal that will provide more than $1.6 billion in federal funding over the next five years to communities in British Columbia, in order to build and maintain “critical infrastructure.”
Under the Canada Community-Building Fund deal, local governments in B.C. will receive $300 million in federal infrastructure funding in 2024-2025.
The deal was jointly announced by federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser, B.C.’s Minister of Municipal Affairs Anne Kang and Trish Mandewo, president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
Their statement says upgrading municipal infrastructure — such as public transit, recreation centres and water and waste systems — is an important part of addressing the housing crisis.
Projects previously supported by the fund include upgrades to highways and local roads, flood mitigation and organic waste transfer facilities.
The statement also says more than $825 million, representing about half of the five-year total, will go to TransLink, Metro Vancouver’s transit authority.
TransLink spokesperson Tina Lovgreen said, however, that the funds will not solve an imminent funding shortfall. Last week, the transit authority announced a cost-cutting plan to partially address an expected annual shortfall of more than $600 million starting at the end of 2025.
Lovgreen said the deal is a renewal of the Gas Tax fund, which provided around $165 million to TransLink each year for initiatives like replacing buses. She noted that the authority’s financial forecasting had assumed the federal funds would continue.
“TransLink continues to work with senior government partners to secure a new funding model that meets the growing needs of this region,” she said in a statement.
Farmers say changes to capital gains tax could complicate family transfers
Jake Leguee knows the fields of his Saskatchewan grain farm well, as part of the third generation to help harvest the land. And at 36, he’s already preparing to eventually transfer the business to his three young sons.
“The goal of every farmer, really, especially when their kids are young, is maybe someday they’ll be interested,” said Leguee, who farms 6,400 hectares near Fillmore, a small community about 100 kilometres southeast of Regina.
But with rising costs, including recent changes to the capital gains tax, he’s concerned they could face challenges.
they put on land transfers will deter the next generation from taking over and contribute to a decline in family farms.
“They’re going to be paying more when it comes time to make the next transition to generation four,” he said. “It’s something we’re definitely already thinking about.”
Farmers like Leguee are joining national agriculture groups in speaking out against the tax changes, arguing that the added strain
The federal government, however, says the changes are about delivering “tax fairness” and include measures carefully designed to protect family farms.
Ottawa now taxes two-thirds of capital gains — such as the profit made from selling a farm — up from the original inclusion rate of 50 per cent. But it’s only for gains above $250,000 per person, per year, and comes amid the increase of the lifetime capital gains exemption to $1.25 million. Groups including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Canadian Cattle Association and Canadian Seed Growers Association have spoken out against the new inclusion rate. The Grain Growers of Canada is calling on Ottawa to keep family farms at the original rate.
Canada Day stabbing sends Maple Ridge man to hospital
The Ridge Meadows RCMP says a man was sent to hospital after a stabbing in Maple Ridge on Canada Day. Mounties say at around 4:20 p.m. on July 1, police were called after reports of the incident on 224 Street.
“The victim on scene was suffering from stab wounds and was transported by BC Emergency Health Services (BC EHS) to Royal Columbian Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,”
Const. Tisha Parsons shared on Wednesday. Mounties say a man was arrested near the incident just a short time later, and he remains in custody pending his next court appearance.
“Police believe this to be a targeted incident given that it occurred between parties who were known to each other. It is believed that there is no further threat to public safety at this time,” Parsons added.
2-year jail for deadly Massey Tunnel crash
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Tran added that her father is still recovering from his injuries four years later.
In handing down the sentence, B.C. Provincial Court Judge Diana Vandor called the crash “horrible and heartbreaking,” noting Mann had six driving prohibitions on his record prior to the crash.
But she also concluded Mann was genuinely remorseful and horrified at what he had done.
The collision happened around midnight on Sept. 2, 2020.
“If he was remorseful, he would have quit drinking right after he killed my sister, but the fact that he kept drinking and only really started his sobriety in the last few months tells us as a family that I don’t think he’s sincere,” she said.
“We will never forget her, we will always think about her, it’s just that we don’t have to worry about listening to what happened again, going through all of this again, it is just closure for us,” she said. Mann was also slapped with a five-year driving ban that will take effect when his jail sentence concludes.
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Capital gains tax undermines the backbone of the Canadian economy
The claim that the capital gains tax affects only 0.13 percent of Canadians is not true
Sylvain Charlebois: It’s hard to recall a time when capital gains taxes have drawn so much attention. Historically, changes to capital gains taxation have largely flown under the radar. However, the latest modifications are different.
Starting June 25, 2024, capital gains up to $250,000 will continue to be taxed at the standard 50 percent inclusion rate. Gains exceeding C$250,000, however, will be taxed at a new inclusion rate of 66.67 percent for individuals. Furthermore, the 2024 federal budget introduces two other notable changes: all capital gains generated through a corporation will be subject to the 66.67 percent inclusion rate, and the lifetime capital gains exemption for eligible property will increase from $1,016,836 to $1,250,000.
These changes raise significant concerns for family businesses, particularly in the agrifood sector, where most farms are family-run operations. The Grain Growers of Canada, representing over 65,000 family-owned farms, recently released a report contradicting Ottawa’s claim that only 0.13 percent of Canadians, or fewer than 60,000 people, will be affected. The report suggests a much broader impact.
According to Statistics Canada, Canada has nearly 190,000 farms, most of which are family businesses. The Grain Growers of Canada report indicates that the average farm will see a 30 percent tax increase due to the new twothirds capital gains inclusion rate. Generational succession planning is a cornerstone in agrifood, particularly farming. Currently, less than 1.7 percent of Canadians are involved in farming, a percentage likely to decrease over time. Canada is losing between 700 to 1,000 farms annually. By making farming less financially attractive, the number of farms will continue to dwindle, leading to greater consolidation and fewer family-owned farms.
A former member of the Canadian military has pleaded guilty in Bangkok to his involvement in the February 2022 murder of longtime B.C. gangster Jimi Sandhu.
Matthew Dupre, of Sylvan Lake, Alberta, entered the guilty plea on what was supposed to be the first day of his trial in the Thai capital on June 27. Sgt. Brenda Winpenny, of the antigang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, confirmed that Dupre had admitted his role in the dramatic targeted hit at a beachfront resort on the island of Phuket.
The shooting was captured on CCTV
Get your sun hats and sun block ready, Metro Vancouver is in for what’s likely the first heat wave of the season, with temperatures over 30 C expected in some parts of the region.
Starting Friday, the forecast is calling for a stretch of sunny and dry weather. The thermometer is expected to climb on Friday with daytime highs of 28 C inland and then 31 C inland on Saturday, according to Environment Canada.
Closer to the water, it’s likely going to be a bit cooler, with highs of 24 C Friday and 26 C Saturday.
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“This is truly every parent’s worst nightmare, and the West Vancouver Police Department extends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of those who lost their lives or were injured in this tragic incident,”
footage in a parking area at the Beachfront Hotel in Phuket. At the time, Sandhu was staying in a private waterfront villa beside the hotel. Fake Canadian identification and cash were found in the villa.
On Sunday, expect highs of 26 C and 31 C inland again and then Monday and Tuesday look even toastier with highs of 32 C inland.
Armel Castellan, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says they are anticipating a moderate risk with the coming heat wave, as opposed to the high risk as B.C. experienced with the deadly 2021 heat dome.
“We’re describing this with our health partners as a moderate risk to society. So there will be vulnerable people who are going to be affected,” said Castellan.
Sgt. Chris Bigland with West Vancouver police said in a news release.
The families of the victims and the injured have been notified and their names will not be released out of respect for the families’ privacy, police said.
The father of Tori Dunn says her family and friends are angry that the justice system has failed them after police announced a murder charge against a man who was released from custody weeks before her killing in Surrey, B.C., this month.
Aron Dunn said at a news conference Friday that his daughter, 30, was cut down “in the prime of her life” in a home invasion on June 16.
“Our hearts are broken and we want answers,” Dunn said, speaking to reporters at a park not far from the Port Kells neighbourhood where his daughter lived.
Dunn was accompanied by his daughter’s fiance, who did not want to speak, as well as BC Conservative leader John Rustad and
MLA Elenore Sturko, who recently defected to Rustad’s party from BC United.
Police announced earlier Friday that a 40-year-old Ontario man with a long and violent criminal history including a previous home invasion has been charged with seconddegree murder in connection with the slaying of Tori Dunn at her home.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a statement that Adam Mann was found by Surrey police while they were on their way to Dunn’s home, where she was found with grave injuries.
At the time, Mann was facing an unrelated aggravated assault charge for an alleged attack in Surrey three weeks earlier and is due in court for that case on July 2.
A New Democrat member of Parliament has paid back a portion of the thousands of dollars she spent on a Christmastime trip for herself and her family that was paid for with public money.
The federal New Democrats said Manitoba MP Niki Ashton Reimbursed the House of Commons administration for $2,900, part of the more than $17,000 in costs she incurred during a Christmas Day trip to Quebec City followed by a visit to Montreal.
Commons work virtually.
The MP did not respond to a request for an interview.
Travel reports filed with the House of Commons show Ashton, her husband and kids had travelled from Ottawa to Quebec City on Christmas Day “to meet with stakeholders about business of the House.”
Five days later they went to Montreal for the same disclosed reason. Then on Dec. 31 the family travelled back to Ottawa where they stayed for a few days before returning to Thompson, Man.
Public expenses show Ashton, her husband and two children flew from her northern Manitoba riding to Ottawa on Dec. 21, 2022. A day earlier, her Ottawa apartment was sprayed for bedbugs, which led her and her family to travel to the capital to deal with that “urgent” situation, Ashton said in a statement. “I then met separately with stakeholders in Quebec,” said Ashton, who often participates in House of
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Castellan says that as a ridge of high pressure moves across B.C., the high temperatures and clear, sunny days are likely to raise the wildfire risk. He says temperatures could begin cooling by next Wednesday, but as the ridge moves on to the Prairies, there will be the potential for dry lightning in B.C. as the province heads into what is typically the hottest, driest stretch of summer.
Castellan says the difference between the upcoming heat wave and the deadly heat dome that killed more than 600 people in the summer of 2021 is that temperatures next week aren’t expected to surpass heat-warning criteria by such large margins. “It’s a long-duration event, there’s
Ashton charged $17,641.12 for the trip, including $13,619.90 for transportation, $2,508.39 for accommodations, and $1,512.83 for meals and incidentals, expenses show. There were no details provided about the $2,900 Ashton returned.
no doubt about that,” he said of the forecast.
“But the impact on human health isn’t as extreme as when the temperatures get into this 45 (Celsius) and beyond degrees, particularly for the hottest places in the southwest Interior,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.
The BC Coroners Service said there were 619 heat-related deaths during B.C.’s 2021 heat-dome event, when temperatures soared above 40 C in many communities from June 25 to July 1.
A wildfire that killed two people on June 30, 2021, in the Fraser Canyon community of Lytton occurred a day after the village of about 200 people experienced Canada’s hottest recorded temperature of 49.6 C.
Suspect extradited to U.S. to face charges in murder-for-hire plot of Hardeep Nijjar associate
One year after Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Surrey B.C., an Indian man has pled not guilty in a U.S. court to conspiracy charges for a plot to kill one of Nijjar’s associates.
Czech police said Nikhil Gupta was extradited last month from the Czech Republic to the United States.
He is accused of plotting with an Indian government official in a murder-forhire plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who is a member of the group Sikhs for Justice and an advocate for an independent Khalistan.
According to court records, Gupta paid an undercover federal agent $15,000 with the promise of more to carry out a murder-forhire plot against the New York-based lawyer. According to the indictment, authorities have physical and wiretap evidence directly linking Gupta to an agent of the Indian government.
The accused made his first court appearance in New York in mid-June.
Last week, he made another brief court appearance so Gupta’s legal team could file for full disclosure of the state’s evidence.
Pannun holds U.S. and Canadian citizenship and is a close associate of Nijjar.
The allegations laid out in the U.S. court records link the attempted assassination in New York to the one carried out in Surrey last year.
The indictment mentions Nijjar by name and according to wiretap evidence, U.S. authorities allege Gupta had direct knowledge of the plot in
Surrey B.C.
Nijjar was shot and killed outside his Surrey Gurdwara on June 18, 2023.
Gupta is expected to remain in custody until his trial.
B.C. government to launch website to combat ‘bad faith’ evictions
The B.C. government says a new online portal launching this month will combat badfaith evictions made by landlords who falsely claim to be putting a property to “personal use,” only to increase rent on the unit.
The Ministry of Housing says the Landlord Use Web Portal will go live on July 18 and will require landlords to generate eviction notices under the Residential Tenancy Act’s provision allowing tenants to be evicted from a unit if a family member or caretaker intends to move in.
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says the website will allow the government to gauge how often evictions occur under the personaluse provisions, which some landlords use under “false pretences.”
The ministry says the portal will generate eviction notices for personal occupancy or caretaker use, and require landlords to provide information about the people taking over a unit. On the day the website goes live, the province says the amount of time tenants will have to dispute evictions increases from 15 days to 30, while landlords will have to provide four months’ notice to tenants before a personal-use eviction, up from the previous
two months. The ministry says the new portal will allow the Residential Tenancy Branch to conduct “post-eviction compliance audits” and track the frequency of personal-use evictions.
According to Amanda Burrows, executive director of social service provider First United, a project undertaken by the organization found that of about one thousand evicted tenants surveyed, nearly 60 per cent said their eviction was the result of the landlord claiming the unit for personal use. Burrows said she couldn’t say how many of the evictions were in bad faith, and that’s why First United has been pushing the provincial government to collect the type of data that will be gathered through the new online portal. “We believe that this portal is a very positive first step in trying to alleviate evictions that can create displacement and homelessness,” she said, adding that requiring landlords to get permission to evict for personal use — similar to how it works for so-called ‘renovictions’ — would be a further improvement. Burrows is also calling for vacancy control, in which rent controls are tied to units rather than tenants, as another way to reign in the housing affordability crisis.
B.C.
More B.C. residents will be eligible for heat pump rebates as the province encourages more people to switch in the battle against climate change.
The government announced Wednesday it’s taking applications for the expanded heatpump program, which increases the eligibility for rebates. For example, a family of four with two adults and two children making $185,620 or less on their combined pre-tax annual income is eligible for a rebate of as much as $10,500 when they switch to a heat pump, according to the government. Previously, the income threshold for a family of four was $114,647.
In May, the federal and provincial governments announced a quarter of a billion dollars to pay
for 16,000 heat pumps for B.C. single-family homeowners.
Both governments want residents to start using electric heat pumps to warm and cool their homes instead of gas or oil powered systems. This is part of government efforts to reduce the amount of carbon generated by burning fossil fuels. The program is managed through the Clean B.C. Income Qualified Program.
The average heat-pump installation costs between $8,000 and $19,000, depending on the equipment type and heating load, according to the government
For a family of four making less than $87,350 annually, rebate amounts for a heat pump have been increased to $16,000 up from $9,500.
Kamloops arsonist who sparked blaze inside Surrey school likely to avoid jail
A Kamloops woman who intentionally sparked a fire inside a Lower Mainland high school will likely avoid jail after pleading guilty to arson.
Crystal Lynn Dawn Mattie, 39, was in Kamloops provincial court on Thursday for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to one count of arson. Court heard she was arrested on April 26, 2023, after emergency crews responded to a fire at the Khalsa School on 124th Street in Surrey.
The fire did not cause major damage, but the gym floor was covered in water and walls were left blackened. Crown prosecutor Pam Bhatti said all that was destroyed was a toilet-paper holder and a paper-towel dispenser.
Mattie was homeless and addicted to drugs at the time of her arrest. She was also committed under the Mental Health Act.
Mattie was released and has since returned to Kamloops, where she has more family supports.
She is living in a supportive housing facility managed by ASK Wellness.
Bhatti and defence lawyer Sophie Saran pitched a joint submission for an 18-month conditional sentence order. But the plan stopped short of placing Mattie under a house-arrest condition, opting for a less restrictive 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. “Because she does not have stability with her residence, curfew checks might be a little bit easier to comply with than house arrest,” Bhatti said.
Seven-year-old child hurt in Port Coquitlam hit-and-run
Police are looking for witnesses to a hit-andrun that left a seven-year-old child injured in Port Coquitlam.
The collision happened just before 4 p.m. on June 23 in an alleyway north of Coquitlam Avenue near Willington Street.
The child was taken to hospital and survived.
The driver of a grey, 2016 Jeep Cherokee fled the scene. Police later located the driver and the vehicle in Coquitlam. The Mounties have now released video of the suspect vehicle, in the hopes that witnesses may recognize seeing it the day of the collision.
PICS Society Celebrates Raj Brar’s Appointment to the Board of Directors of the Women’s Economic Council of Canada
PICS Society is thrilled to share another milestone: Raj Brar, Director of Career Services, has been selected as a Board of Director of the Women’s Economic Council of Canada.
This prestigious appointment is a testament to Raj’s unwavering dedication to advancing women’s rights and economic empowerment across the nation.
Suspect’s pants catch fire in arson attempt gone wrong
Police in Metro Vancouver say they’re looking for a man whose pants caught fire during an arson attempt that went wrong.
Police are recommending criminal charges in the incident.
Anyone with information or relevant video footage is asked to contact Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.
“Police are looking to piece together the timeline between the collision at 3:46 p.m. in the alleyway north of Coquitlam Avenue near Wellington Street in Port Coquitlam to when Police later located the driver and vehicle near Pinetree Way and Guildford Way in Coquitlam at 4:40 p.m.,” Cpl. Alexa Hodgins said in a media release. “We are asking anyone who may have witnessed a 2016 grey Jeep Cherokee driving between 3:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, 2024, to contact the Coquitlam RCMP.”
Raj Brar has been an integral part of PICS Society, consistently working towards creating quality and equitable opportunities for women. Her new role on the Board of the Women’s Economic Council will allow her to further contribute to building a more inclusive and fair society. Raj is committed to building on this legacy and working diligently to create quality and equitable opportunities for women across Canada. Her dedication to championing women’s rights and economic empowerment will drive change and inspire future generations in the country.
This achievement not only highlights Raj Brar’s individual excellence but also underscores PICS Society’s commitment to fostering leadership and advocating for women’s economic empowerment. Join us in celebrating Raj Brar’s remarkable achievement and our shared commitment to empowering women everywhere.
Richmond RCMP provided a photo showing two men, one on the ground with a pained facial expression as he reaches for his blazing pants, while the other man apparently tries to put out the flames.
Police say officers responded to an alarm at a business on April 24, finding a broken window and a small fire directly in front with evidence it had been set intentionally.
They say surveillance video subsequently revealed two men wearing masks had approached the business, and one of the suspect’s pants caught fire in the incident.
Mounties say “the pants continued to burn” despite the suspects’ efforts to put the flames out, and the mask worn by the man on the ground came off in the scramble.
Police say there is a “high probability” he sustained injuries to his lower body.
A 42-year-old man has been charged with murder in the shooting of Yasin Khan in Nanaimo.
The shooting on the afternoon of May 20, 2021, left Khan dead in a parked vehicle in the parking lot of a Wendy’s restaurant in Rock City Plaza on the Island Highway.
Nanaimo RCMP said at the time that several people were arrested at the Best Western hotel on Metral Drive and a vehicle associated with them was seized.
After a lengthy investigation, Ronald Joseph Campbell, who is already in custody, has been charged with first-degree murder.
“This shooting was carried out in a public place and in broad daylight,” said Nanaimo RCMP Insp. Andrew Burton. “It takes time to gather the necessary evidence to support a
charge of murder.”
Khan was linked to the Red Scorpion-Kang group, though had an earlier connection to the Brothers Keepers gang. He was sentenced in 2018 to two years, eight months in prison after convictions for trafficking and possessing a loaded restricted firearm.
Campbell also has a criminal record. He was convicted of assault causing bodily harm and illegal storage of a firearm and in 2021 got a conditional sentence and a year’s probation. He was also convicted of uttering threats and got a 12-month suspended sentence.
Last year, he got a day in jail and a lifetime firearms ban after convictions in Vancouver of possession of a restricted firearm, as well as stolen property worth more than $5,000.
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highway closure
Police say a suspect was arrested after an hours-long chase in B.C.’s Kootenay region that included a helicopter deployment and the closure of a highway. On Tuesday, the Creston RCMP says it identified a 37-year-old man “believed to be responsible for several recent property crimes” who was also wanted on an outstanding warrant.
A Wednesday news release summarizes the lengths police say they went to in order to arrest the suspect. It says police tried to stop his truck, but the suspect continued driving “at a high speed” toward Highway 3.
He continued to evade police while travelling west on the highway toward the Kootenay Pass, according to the detachment. “Officers in neighbouring detachments flooded the area, with roadblocks set up in various locations,” it reads. Then both the Emergency Response Team and a police helicopter were deployed.
An officer in the helicopter ended up spotting the truck, which was heading back toward Creston, police said.
“With roadblocks already in place, highway traffic was stopped in both directions as spike belts were deployed,” Mounties said.
The man drove over one of the spike belts and his vehicle was ultimately “disabled” near West Creston Road and Highway 3.
He then fled into the nearby marshlands but was “brought into custody without further incident” after an “hours-long” search.
“Our officers worked cohesively, effectively; and most importantly, in the interest of keeping the public safe,” Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk, detachment commander of the Creston RCMP, said in the release. “We appreciate the travelling public’s patience while we safely and methodically apprehended this suspect.”
Alberta RCMP say they are looking for two people in connection to a robbery at a Walmart in Spruce Grove at the end of May. Mounties say the incident happened around 11:37 a.m. on May 29, and it is believed $4,600 worth of goods were stolen. “This theft was executed in an organized and sophisticated manner. This crime has a similar modus operandi (M.O.) to other shoplifting complaints from across Canada,” said RCMP in a statement. Mounties are asking if anyone knows either the man or woman linked to the theft, to contact investigators at 825-220-7267 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
A pair that was arrested for “a complex shoplifting scheme” in BC will “both be deported,” RCMP said. According to Mounties, 51-year-old Nicoleta Rusu and 39-year-old Emil Marian Stan of Ontario were arrested and charged in connection to multiple high-value retail thefts that took place around the Lower Mainland.
RCMP said the scheme lasted six months, during which time the man and woman used “sophisticated techniques” to conceal items and remove them from the stores without being seen.
“Some of these methods involved the use of devices to block security alarm systems. The items stolen included high-end fragrances and athletic clothing, with an approximate total value of $53,000,” RCMP said.
After the Surrey RCMP Community Response Unit linked the thefts in Surrey to similar thefts in Abbotsford and Langley, BC, officers identified a man and woman and arrested them in February.
Rusu and Marian Stan pleaded guilty and RCMP said they’d been sentenced for their
involvement in theft and possession of stolen items.
Stan was convicted of:
- seven counts of theft under $5,000; - two counts of theft over $5,000; - and one count of possession of stolen property over $5,000.
Rusu was convicted of:
- two counts of theft under $5,000; - two counts of theft over $5,000; - and one count of possession of stolen property over $5,000.
They will be deported after serving their time in prison.
“Stan and Rusu have been held to account for their criminal actions, with the loss of their freedom and the opportunity to reside in Canada,” Sgt Nigel Pronger said. “Their fate serves as a warning to those who wish to profit through crime.”
An Ode to a mentor Veteran editor will be missed by many
Umendra Singh: The Fiji Times first local and first Indian editor, Vijendra Kumar, passed away last week in Brisbane, Australia, at the care of 88. He was a mentor the current editor of the Asian Star, Jmendra Singh. “He hired me into my first job as a trainee reporter at Fiji Times and trajned me. I don’t know out ainwojld be here today without his mentorship,” Singn said.
H kumar was unwell after a fall in November, last year . His funeral was held in Brisbane on July 3. He leaves behind his widow and three children.
Kumar retired from the Fiji Times on July 31,1991, after 22 years at the newspaper, 15 as the first local editor.
He migrated to Brisbane with his family after his retirement and worked as a sub editor at Brisbane daily newspaper for a number of years after his retirement.
Kumar joined The Fiji Times in 1969 as a reporter at its Lautoka bureau that covered the Western Division and was the first Indian to join. He rose to become the Western Division bureau manager and was later transferred to Suva. He was appointed The Fiji Times‘ first local editor in 1975 when he was 39 years old.
In his 15 years as editor, Kumar turned The Fiji Times around from a rather staid, old-fashioned, overseas-oriented paper catering largely to expatriate tastes to a colourful and dynamic daily — catering largely to the local .
Kumar steered the paper through some difficult times during the two military coups in 1987 and 1989.
“Our overriding concern was to keep the people informed of what was happening in the country” he recalled in an interview.
“We were on edge all the time not knowing what in the paper would annoy or upset the people in government, in the military or other forces at work. “The only way to handle the situation was to keep your cool and I learnt this under very trying conditions.” Kumar’s journalistic career began in 1954 with the Pacific Review, a biweekly newspaper published in Nadi by a locallyowned company.
He had put out the paper almost singlehandedly, reported, proofreading, editing and laying it out. He then spent a 12-year-stint as a schoolteacher where he helped Dr Shaukat Ali Sahib pioneer the setting up of Tilak High School in Lautoka before he joined The Fiji Times.
A million visitors are expected to visit Fiji this year – Gavoka
Following strong visitor arrival numbers last year, a million visitors are expected to visit the country this year which will be another historic achievement for Fiji.
This has been confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Viliame Gavoka while opening the Asia-Pacific Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE) Fiji Investment In Tourism Summit in Nadi this morning.
Gavoka says in 2023, the industry broke the visitor arrival record, welcoming 929,740 visitors who contributed an estimated $3.2 billion to the Fijian economy.
He says it is safe to say, tourism remains Fiji’s growth driver and where the opportunities are and it is where the investment needs are.
Gavoka further says Fiji Airways just weeks after joining the OneWorld alliance as a full-
fledged member, will adopt American Airlines’ AAdvantage program as its official frequent flyer scheme.
He says they are also looking at new direct routes to the US, which ultimately means more visitors to Fiji.
The Deputy Prime Minister says as demand surges, so does the need for new investments, particularly in hotel capacity.
He says in the upcoming budget, they are extending the Short Life Investment Package tax holiday to investors who acquire existing hotels and undertake renovations and refurbishments of more than $50 million.
Gavoka says they have increased the marketing budget through Tourism Fiji and will continue to strategically drive reforms to make it easier for investors, to invest in Fiji and the Fijian brand.
10 of the 26 former FijiFirst MPs thinking of supporting Rabuka
There are now suggestions coming through that at least 10 out of the former 26 FijiFirst MPs who are now independents are thinking of supporting the People’s Alliance Party.
Inside sources have told fijivillage News that the discussions and plans are in motion, however the final decision of the independents is yet to be relayed to the Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.
The former FijiFirst MPs who are ready to back the People’s Alliance Party say they are doing this to support Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka.
bench in Parliament.
He says there needs to be a proper interpretation by the courts on the status of independent MPs joining another political party as the rules are not very clear in the 2013 Constitution.
When asked by fijivillage News, independent MP, Mosese Bulitavu says what he can confirm is that he wants to be an independent MP supporting the Prime Minister.
Bulitavu says he is a free agent now as a cross
Bulitavu says he has not been approached by People’s Alliance, SODELPA or NFP to join them nor has he spoken to the Prime Minister on his options.
Rabuka has already said that he is open to the idea of a Government of National Unity, and it may pave the way for some necessary changes to the 2013 Constitution.
If the People’s Alliance secures 10 MPs’ support, they will have 31 MPs on their side, and they have the backing of the NFP with 5 seats and SODELPA with 3 seats.
This would leave the remaining 16 independents in the Opposition.
Vijendra Kumar
Former senator, 3 others killed in car bomb blast
A former Senator and three others were assassinated in a car bomb blast triggered through a remote-control device in restive northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, police said.
Hidayat Ullah was in the Damadola area of Mamond Bajaur tribal district bordering Afghanistan in connection with a by-election campaign for his nephew Najeeb Ullah Khan when the blast occurred. The by-election for PK 22 Provincial Assembly Constituency is due on July 12. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Ali Amin Gandapur and Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry both have condemned the blast. “The blast is a condemnable act which can not deter the resolve of the government and the people against terrorism,” Chaudhry said.
Chief Minister Gandapur sought a detailed report from the provincial police chief covering all aspects of the incident.
President Asif Ali Zardari too strongly condemned the terrorist incident and mourned for the deaths of the ex-senator and other persons in the Bajaur bomb blast.
UN group to Pakistan: Free Imran Khan immediately
A UN group has demanded the immediate release of Pakistan’s jailed former PM Imran Khan, saying at least two cases slapped on him were “politically motivated”. The United
Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted its opinion on the 71-yearold leader’s detention in its 99th session from March 18-27 in Geneva.
Miscreants blow up gas pipeline in Mach town of Balochistan
Miscreants have blown up a 24-inch Sui gas pipeline in Mach town of Kachhi district in Pakistan’s Balochistan, disrupting gas supply to various areas, including Quetta, reported ARY News.
The damage caused by the explosion has led to a complete suspension of gas supply, the sources from the Sui Southern Gas Company said. The Sui Southern Gas Company further announced that repair work on the damaged pipeline will commence on Monday morning, as reported by ARY News.
Earlier in February, gas supply was suspended to Mach town and its surrounding area after a gas pipeline passing through the
Bolan River was blown up, according to the officials.
A portion of the six-inch pipeline caught fire after the powerful explosion, the officials added. according to Dawn. The engineers of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) stopped the supply and a repair and maintenance team, along with the required machinery, was dispatched to the affected site.
SSGC spokesman Safdar Hussain said that they immediately started repair work.
He further said that the team on the ground focused its energies on repairing the line at the earliest to ensure supply was resumed by the next evening.
Justice Sheel Nagu appointed Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court amid pending elevation issues
More than six months after the Supreme Court recommended his elevation, the President on Thursday appointed Justice Sheel Nagu as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, further easing the crisis it has been facing.
The appointment comes at a time when the high court is grappling with a shortage of 31 Judges and a backlog of over 436,351 cases. The high court currently has 54 Judges against the sanctioned strength of 85. This situation is expected to exacerbate with the impending retirement of three Judges this year and three more next year upon attaining superannuation.
As many as 13 Judges are in the zone of consideration for elevation from the category of district and sessions Judges. But their names could not be considered and recommended in the absence of a regular Chief Justice since the office fell vacant in October last year with the retirement of Justice Ravi Shankar Jha.
The names of advocates were last recommended for elevation more a year back by the high court collegium, headed by the then Chief Justice and two senior-most Judges. Available information suggests Judges have not been appointed in the high court since November last year as the collegium did not meet subsequent to Justice Jha’s retirement.
Sheetal Angural unveils pen drive ‘containing graft evidence’ against AAP MLA, ensures it would reach CM
Jalandhar West bypoll BJP candidate Sheetal Angural on Thursday unveiled a pen drive, alleging it contained evidence that AAP MLA Raman Arora sought money in the name of CM Bhagwant Mann’s family, specifically his wife and sister. He also claimed that after declaring the release of the pen drive, he received calls from a Pakistani number, threatening to kill his daughter Sita Angural.
Angural demanded an inquiry from the CM into the recordings on the pen drive, stating that he would ensure the evidence reached him. He expressed his willingness to go to jail if the evidence was proven wrong. These declarations were made by Angural after a one-hour wait at
had previously challenged him to release the evidence however, Angural said the recordings would only be shared with the media after they were shared with the CM.
He sat in a smaller chair next to an empty larger chair reserved for CM Mann and announced he would wait for half-an-hour for the CM to arrive. Several BJP leaders, including Manoranjan Kalia, KD Bhandari, Rakesh Rathour, Anil Sarin, Jagbir Brar, Sushil Sharma, Ashok Sareen Hicky and Ramesh Sharma, gathered at the spot to support him.
Angural’s daughter and wife also arrived, with his daughter raising slogans, “Papa tum sangharsh karo hum tumhare saath hain.” After waiting for half-an-hour, Sheetal called the
Amritpal
Singh can meet family but won’t be allowed to leave Delhi: Parole order for taking Lok Sabha oath
Waris Punjab De head Amritpal Singh who is being brought to Delhi on parole to take oath as a Lok Sabha member will be allowed to meet his family but will not be permitted to leave the “territorial jurisdiction” of New Delhi.
During his stay in the national capital, neither Singh nor his relatives or family members can make a statement in any form of media, according to the conditions laid down in his parole order issued by the district magistrate of Punjab’s Amritsar from where he was arrested on April 23 last year.
Amritpal, who won the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Punjab in the recent parliamentary elections while being lodged in a jail in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, is scheduled to take oath on Friday. Singh, 31, will be flown in from Assam
to Delhi for taking oath and his parole period of four days starts from July 5, sources said on Wednesday. The parole order, which mentions 10 conditions, stated that the period of temporary release will include the time taken for the journey from the central jail in Dibrugarh to New Delhi and back.
He will “not enter the territorial jurisdiction of any place other than New Delhi during the period of temporary release”, it stated.
“Amritpal Singh or any of his relatives shall not be permitted to videograph any statement of Amritpal and/or circulate any such statement in any electronic form,” according to the order. He will also “refrain from doing any action or making any statement that is prejudicial to national security”, it stated.
Italian employer arrested for Punjabi farm labourer Satnam Singh’s death
The Italian police have arrested the owner of the agriculture company who dumped a 31-yearold Indian worker on the road without medical assistance after his arm was severed by heavy farm machinery, causing his death, a tragic incident that shocked the country and its leadership.
Satnam Singh was abandoned by his employer after a strawberry wrapping machine severed his arm in Lazio, near Rome, last month and died due to “copious bleeding”, the ANSA news agency reported.
The Sikh casual farm labourer from Punjab died at a hospital in Rome two days later after being airlifted there when he was eventually found.
Police on Tuesday arrested the alleged
causing Singh’s manslaughter death, the report said. Prosecutors said in a statement that the Sikh farmer, who died of a massive haemorrhage in a Rome hospital, “would in all likelihood have been saved if he had been promptly assisted”.
“We were waiting for this news, we were angry,” the president of the Lazio Indian community, Gurmukh Singh, said.
“The worst thing (Lovato) did was to leave him outside his home instead of taking him to hospital,” he was quoted as saying.
“An accident can happen, but not calling for medical assistance is unacceptable,” he said. Singh’s death has spurred outrage at gangmastering, which is widespread in Italy, especially in the south of the country, and modern
Emotional Team India celebrates T20 World Cup in wholesome fashion
ndia defeated South Africa by seven runs in a nail-biting thriller in the men’s T20 World Cup final, ending their 17-year wait for the country’s second T20 World Cup. Following the final ball, the ecstatic Indian players broke into tears with emotions pouring out in full flow.
Captain Rohit Sharma was seen sliding into the turf, face first, as he screamed in delight. Tears could be seen on the faces of senior players, especially for the likes of Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj and Hardik Pandya.
Pandya’s nerves of steel in the final over secured India the victory, ending an 11-year wait for an ICC title. The team’s emotional celebration reflected the significance of this triumph, with captain Rohit Sharma overcome with emotion, coach Rahul Dravid leaping with joy, and players like Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya having tears of happiness. This victory marked a historic moment, with India joining West Indies and England as the only teams to have won the Men’s
T20 World Cup twice. The win was not just about lifting the trophy but also about overcoming past disappointments and vindicating years of hard work and dedication.
This was India’s third ICC final in the past 12 months, and the Men in Blue finally ended their 11-year drought of a major title, winning the Men’s T20 World Cup, a feat they last achieved in the inaugural edition in 2007.
This is India’s fourth World Cup title overall — from Kapil Dev’s team in 1983 to Dhoni’s Young Guns in 2007 T20 WC and ODI champions in 2011. Now Rohit’s boys have added another chapter to the annuals of Indian cricket history.
For players like Hardik Pandya, it was a journey of resilience and redemption, silencing critics and proving their mettle on the biggest stage. This momentous win will be etched in the memories of Indian fans worldwide, a testament to the team’s unwavering spirit and determination.
Pakistan to play India in Lahore in ICC Champions Trophy
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed March 1 as the date for the marquee ICC Champions Trophy contest between Pakistan and India in Lahore in a revised schedule circulated to the International Cricket Council (ICC), boards of the seven other participating countries and the official broadcaster, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
Pakistan and India are joined by Bangladesh and New Zealand in Group A, and Australia,
England, South Africa and Afghanistan form Group B. Each team will play the three teams in its group once, and the top two teams from each group will play in the semifinals. The ICC Champions Trophy will be played in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, which will host three, seven and five matches, respectively.
The tournament will begin in Karachi on February 19 and conclude with the final in Lahore on March 9. The final will have a reserve day – March 10 – in case of bad weather.
Indian-origin con woman jailed in Singapore
A 33-year-old Indian-origin Singaporean woman on Wednesday was sentenced to three years of imprisonment for cheating 12 persons of over SGD 106,000 in total in various scams.
District Judge John Ng also imposed a fine of SGD 2,000 on Priscilla Shamani Manoharan, who started her crime spree in 2022.
Manoharan cheated a man of SGD 57,250 by making claims such as needing to pay for a transaction relating to an apartment under the public scheme of the Housing Board, and that her daughter had died, followed by her son.
She also conned by faking her death, pretending to be a lawyer and sending out bogus
invoices for “outstanding legal fees” to the man, The Straits Times newspaper reported.
Among other cases, the woman created fake WhatsApp chat records, purportedly between her and a hospital staff member, to convince the victim that she needed money urgently for medical fees. The con woman continued cheating people, two of whom were duped of SGD 11,800 early this year.
On June 20, Manoharan pleaded guilty to six charges, including multiple counts of cheating including rental of rooms in her apartment. Fourteen other charges were taken into consideration during her sentencing.
Indian Origin Godman Slapped With Rs 84 Crore Lawsuit Over Multiple Sexual Assault Allegation In UK
Rajinder Kalia (68), a self proclaimed godman, a coventry cult leader, has been slapped with a lawsuit by ex-disciples in the UK for over GBP 8 million or Rs 84,84,77,638! Four of his former disciples have sued him for exerting ‘undue influence’ by grooming, groping, and raping them.
The attorney for the seven claimants in the lawsuit remarked that this is an unusual case where the victims were allegedly wholly subject to the charismatic persona of Mr. Kalia for decades. While the accused used his power to influence the claimants to succumb to his financial and sexual demands, they were rendered completely incapable of resistance.
Testifying at the court, one of the women wept, remarking that she was rxped no less than 1,320 times over the course of 22 years. Another victim claimed that she was groped at the tender age of 13 and later raped. Another claimant alleged that she was inappropriately touched at the age of four by the baba. Meanwhile, a few others alleged that Kalia fleeced them of money. One of them was
scammed of GBP 5,000 to cure her dog’s cancer. Rajender Kalia was born in Punjab. He broke his leg pretty badly during a bike accident in his late teens. While he was told by the doctors that he wouldn’t be able to walk ever again, Kalia found healing at Deotsidh. This is said to be the origin of Baba Balak Nath. After moving to the UK in 1977, he started preaching in 1983 and, in 1986, established a temple for Baba Balak Nath. Per the lawsuit, Kalia, who acts as the head priest and calls himself ‘Jinder Das’, abused the claimants in the priest room of the temple. The godman, who resides in a GBP 1.1 million mansion with his wife, has denied all allegations, even as the case continues.
Mumbai terror accused Tahawwur Rana extraditable to India under provisions of treaty: US attorney
Continued from Page 1...
In May, Rana, 63, had filed a writ of habeas corpus challenging the court order, which acceded with the request of the US government that the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks accused be extradited to India.
“Rana is extraditable to India under the plain provisions of the treaty, and India has established probable cause to prosecute him for his role in terrorist attacks that resulted in 166 deaths and 239 injuries,” Alden said.
In his deposition before the court on June 5, Alden, who left the position last week, said both India and the United States have agreed on the meaning of the treaty provision, the non-bis provision in Article 6-1.
“Both parties have now stated what they intended, that that provision be interpreted based on the elements of the offence and not based on the conduct underlying those crimes. That is consistent with long-standing Supreme Court double jeopardy precedent,” he argued.
Rana, currently lodged in a jail in Los Angeles,
faces charges for his role in the Mumbai attacks and is known to be associated with PakistaniAmerican terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Rana has never even attempted to argue that he cannot show that the same elements India seeks to prosecute him for were those he was prosecuted for in Chicago, Alden said.
Representing Rana, attorney John D Cline said there’s no competent evidence supporting probable cause.
Alden said the evidence is overwhelming to support probable cause, that low standard that Rana knew about what was going to happen in India between 2006 and 2008.
“He met with (David) Headley multiple times. There is documentary evidence that supports Hadley’s testimony, including the fake visa applications that were provided so that Hadley could operate a fraudulent business in India in order to conduct surveillance, in order to carry out those terrorist attacks,” he said.
‘Prolonging current border situation not in interest of either side’: India, China agree to resolve LAC issues at earliest
India and China on Thursday agreed that prolonging the current situation along the border areas was “not in the interest of either side”. India reiterated that disengagement of militaries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was the way to remove “obstacles” in the way of normalcy in bilateral relations.
The Ministry of External Affairs put out a statement after a meeting the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the SCO Summit at Astana, Kazakhstan.
exchange of views on finding an early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations”.
It said: “The two ministers had an in-depth
“The two Ministers agreed that the prolongation of the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side”, the Indian statement said Jaishankar highlighted the need to “redouble efforts to achieve complete disengagement from the remaining areas in eastern Ladakh and restore border peace and tranquillity in order to remove obstacles towards return of normalcy in bilateral relations”.
2 women among 6 sevadars arrested over Hathras stampede that killed 121 people
The Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday said they have arrested six members of the organising committee of preacher Bhole Baba’s ‘satsang’ in connection with the Hathras stampede that killed 121 people.
The arrested include two women. The only accused named in the FIR is at large while Surajpal, who is also known as Narayan Sakar Hari and Bhole Baba, will be questioned if required during investigation, a senior officer said. A total of 121 people, mostly women, had died after the stampede at self-styled godman Baba Bhole’s satsang in Hathras on Tuesday.
The bodies of all victims have been identified and handed over to their families, District Magistrate Asish Kumar said here on Thursday.
The police entered the ashram premises of Bhole Baba in Mainpuri and later said he was not present there. A police official said they had gone there to check the security arrangements.
Police personnel have been deployed outside the ashram since the stampede took place at the preacher’s congregation in Harthras.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur told reporters here on Thursday that all six persons who have been arrested worked are ‘sevadars’ (volunteers) at the ‘satsang’.
“A reward of Rs 1 lakh will be announced soon and non-bailable warrant (NBW) will also be issued against key accused Devprakash Madhukar,” Mathur said.
400 m runner Deepanshi fails dope test, suspended by NADA
NADA has suspended India’s top woman 400 m runner Deepanshi for flunking her dope test during the recent National Inter-State Championships, where she won a silver medal.
The 21-year-old Deepanshi had clocked a personal best time of 52.01 seconds to finish second behind Kiran Pahal (50.92) in the women’s 400 m final in Panchkula on Friday.
The in-competition urine sample, which was taken on June 27 (either after heat race or semifinal), contained anabolic steroids.
“Yes, she has failed dope test conducted during the National Inter-State Championships and she
has been provisionally suspended,” a reliable source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
This was the first dope positive case from the National Inter-State Championships (June 2730).
Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) declared policy (for the national relay team) has been to pick only campers because they can be kept under close watch by the national body.
The rising Haryana athlete was a national U20 champion in 2021 but her best finish at the senior level was the third position at the Indian Grand Prix in Thiruvananthapuram in March last year.
