Federal judge overturns release order for alleged Bishnoi gang member awaiting deportation

Federal Court Justice Phuong T.V. Ngo dismissed an Immigration and Refugee Board order that would have released Karamveer Singh on bail while his deportation case proceeds. The judge highlighted the lack of credible evidence regarding the source of more than $100,000 in bond money supplied by Singh’s sisters and stressed his ongoing risk of fleeing and endangering the public.

Singh, an international fugitive who escaped India in 2019 after being charged with murder—a charge he claims is politically motivated—has been linked to the Bishnoi gang, a transnational criminal organization labeled a terrorist group by Canada. FBI documents cited in a prior July decision suggest the gang’s leader Lawrence Bishnoi tasked Singh with violent actions, including a shooting and arson at AP Dhillon’s home.

After entering Canada on foot in January 2025 and having his refugee claim denied, Singh was detained in April 2026 and faced repeated release attempts that the court found insufficient. The federal government’s deportation efforts remain ongoing, with no comment from Singh’s lawyer or Public Safety Canada.