{"id":316198,"date":"2026-04-10T03:29:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T21:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=316198"},"modified":"2026-04-10T03:29:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T21:59:11","slug":"deportation-hearing-for-indian-extortion-suspect-halted-when-officials-cant-find-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/10\/deportation-hearing-for-indian-extortion-suspect-halted-when-officials-cant-find-him\/","title":{"rendered":"Deportation hearing for Indian extortion suspect halted when officials can\u2019t find him"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

The deportation of a Bishnoi extortion gang member was postpone on Thursday after federal officials\u00a0couldn’t\u00a0find the suspect.<\/p>\n

Just minutes into Abjeet Kingra\u2019s deportation hearing, the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) said it had lost track of the Indian citizen.<\/p>\n

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which is attempting to deport Kingra, also said it not knew his whereabouts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout knowing where he’s, there\u2019s not much else we are able to do,\u201d Azeem Lalji, the IRB member overseeing the case, said before shutting down the hearing.<\/p>\n

The B.C. court, nevertheless,\u00a0confirmed to Global News that Kingra remained in custody, awaiting trial for a shooting and arson at a Surrey home.<\/p>\n

The Bishnoi gang is an India-based crime group behind a wave of extortion violence targeting Canadian cities with large South Asian populations.<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

It’s a listed terrorist group<\/a> in Canada, which blames it for murders, shootings and arsons targeting distinguished South Asian community members, businesses and cultural figures.<\/p>\n

Kingra is considered one of the primary Bishnoi members to face a deportation hearing amid a crackdown against extortion in B.C., Alberta and Ontario.<\/p>\n

But because the case was set to start on Thursday morning, he was not present. The IRB said it thought he was detained on the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford, B.C.<\/p>\n

When the jail staff didn’t bring him to his virtual hearing, the IRB said it had just learned that he had been moved but didn’t his recent location.<\/p>\n

The IRB member said the proceedings would resume \u201cwithin the very near future.\u201d The CBSA said it might try to seek out out where he was now held.<\/p>\n

Neither the IRB nor CBSA responded to questions on the matter by deadline. The B.C. government referred inquiries to the federal government.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Click
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Border officials are investigating 372 foreign residents identified through B.C.\u2019s extortion task force, the CBSA said on Thursday.<\/p>\n

\n

Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Removal orders have been issued for 70 of them. Thirty-five have already been faraway from Canada, the CBSA said. The figures are as of March 12, 2026.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Get\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n

Get day by day National news<\/h2>\n

Get day by day Canada news delivered to your inbox so you will never miss the day’s top stories.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

But a handful have also been sent to the Immigration and Refugee Board for deportation hearings, alleging they’re inadmissible to Canada.<\/p>\n

Global News has learned that Kingra is facing deportation for allegedly being a member of a criminal organization.<\/p>\n

Like a lot of those implicated within the extortion crisis, Kingra entered Canada on a student visa. He worked for a moving company in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n

But he was allegedly recruited into the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, against the law group based in India that makes money by extorting victims\u00a0in Canada.<\/p>\n

Last August, Kingra pleaded guilty<\/a> to shooting the Vancouver Island home of Punjabi singer AP Dhillon. He also set fire to the victim\u2019s cars.<\/p>\n

A security camera recorded flames erupting from the vehicles as Kingra aimed a handgun at the home, fired off 14 shots and fled into the waiting automotive.<\/p>\n

The Bishnoi gang took responsibility for the attack.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Click
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cYour goal and your intent was essentially to terrorize Mr. Dhillon on the behest of a criminal organization often called the Bishnoi gang,\u201d the judge wrote<\/a> at sentencing.<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t