Shooting suspect who fled to India arrested at Edmonton airport: police

A suspect in three extortion-related shootings who police said had fled to India was arrested last month at the Edmonton airport.

A person wanted in connection with three extortion-related shootings has been arrested after returning to Canada.

Arjun Sahnan, 21, was arrested and charged with three counts of discharging a firearm and three counts of possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition in connection with shootings in Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Sherwood Park.

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On Dec. 21, 2023, shots were fired at an upstairs bedroom window in Edmonton’s Cy Becker neighbourhood at 2:50 a.m.

Four people were sleeping inside the home, including two children.

On Dec. 24, 2023, shots were fired at a home in northwest Winnipeg at 8:45 p.m.

A bullet travelled through a wall inside the house, adjacent to an occupied room.

The shooting was captured on security cameras in the area.

In both shootings, the homeowners had been extorted for money and threatened before the shooting.

No one was injured in either case.

“It was fortunate that nobody was injured in those shooting events, but certainly it was through good fortune that they weren’t as bullets were ripping through residences narrowly missing occupants, including children,” Insp. Darren Gordon told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

On Dec. 29, 2023 at 1:08 a.m., shots were fired at an empty house in the Fountain Creek neighbourhood of Sherwood Park.

A bullet went through a window into a children’s playroom and hit a toybox.

No one was injured.

The owner of the home had not received any threats before the shooting and investigators believe the shooter targeted the wrong house.

Ballistic analysis showed the same gun was used in all three shootings.

The incidents are believed to be connected to a series of shootings and arsons in the Edmonton-area targeting South Asian business people, dubbed Project Gaslight by the Edmonton Police Service.

Police say immediately after the shootings Sahnan fled to India.

Canada-wide warrants were issued for him in April 2024, and he was arrested at the Edmonton airport when he returned to Canada.

Gordon said police were notified about his return through the warrant process.

“On Sept. 20, our investigators were able to go out to the Edmonton airport, and they were able to arrest him upon landing,” Gordon said.

“He has since been charged with weapons offences, and he’s been remanded, and he is waiting to speak to bail on those charges.”

Sahnan isn’t the only person wanted in connection with Project Gaslight that had left the country.

Maninder Dhaliwal, who is believed to be one of the ringleaders in the series of crimes, is rumoured to be in the United Arab Emirates.

“We are working with our federal government in trying to negotiate his extradition back to our country to be able to answer to those charges,” Gordon said.

“The challenge right now is that there is no extradition treaty in place with the United Arab Emirates, so it just makes the negotiations just a little more complex and time-consuming as a result.”

Earlier this week, the Canadian government deemed the Bishnoi gang a terrorist organization.

The gang is believed to be involved in other extortion-related crimes across Canada targeting South Asian communities.

Gordon says Project Gaslight investigators are looking into the gang as well.

“It is a belief that they have an involvement, but at this point in time, we don’t have evidence that we can make that claim that they’re involved in ours. It’s certainly something that our investigators are open to, but at this time, we just cannot make that claim.”

Gordon asked anyone facing extortion threats to reach out to EPS by calling 780-423-4567 or 780-391-4279, emailing [e-mail] or by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

“If we allow these criminals to operate in the shadows and out of the awareness of police, they’re just going to be emboldened, and they’re going to continue to do so,” he said.

“Information and evidence is going to be the best thing that we can get to hold these individuals accountable and try and suppress these activities.”