A 33-year-old individual of Indian descent, identified as Hitesh Bansal, has been apprehended in Hamilton, Canada, on charges of allegedly engaging in extortion and issuing threats.
Hailing from Brampton, Canada, Bansal faces three counts of extortion, accused of intimidating Brampton-based business proprietors, their families, and employees through menacing communications.
Following his arrest on February 12, Bansal is presently detained by law enforcement authorities, awaiting a bail hearing scheduled at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.
Moreover, Canadian law enforcement agencies have detained several other suspects believed to be involved in extortion activities directed at businesses situated in the Greater Toronto area, particularly those owned by individuals of South Asian origin.
According to Peel Police, the accused purportedly asserted affiliations with organized crime networks, threatening victims with violence and coercing them into ceasing business operations. These threats were conveyed through both telephone calls and text messages.
The Peel Regional Police’s Extortion Investigative Task Force (EITF) has assumed responsibility for probing these incidents.
This development comes after the arrest of four individuals by Peel Police, namely Gagan Ajit Singh, Anmoldeep Singh, Hashmeet Kaur, and Iymanjot Kaur, apprehended on January 24 for alleged involvement in similar offenses, encompassing property damage, intimidation, and firearm-related infractions.
Furthermore, Arundeep Thind, aged 39, faced separate extortion charges linked to a specific incident involving the transmission of threatening messages and demands for monetary compensation. Although initially taken into custody, Thind was subsequently released after a two-week detention period.
Thind's cryptic message, 'Putt bach ke' (meaning 'Son, be careful'), conveyed post-release, has elicited concerns within the local Indo-Canadian community, signaling potential ongoing tensions.
