A Brampton man in his 30s charged with abducting a northern Ontario boy last summer has elected to be tried by a judge without a jury. Manoj Govindbalunikam, 36, was arrested in Sault Ste. Marie on Aug. 16 following an incident in Thessalon the previous evening. A nine-year-old boy was fishing by himself at the river around 7:45 p.m. when Govindbalunikam reportedly pulled up in a yellow Camaro and offered him a toy and ice cream. When a neighbour saw the boy get into the stranger's car and was driven away, they alerted the family and a search ensued. The boy was found a short while later eating ice cream inside the man's car in another area of town, police said. Govindbalunikam claimed to be a real estate agent looking for property in the area. A man with a similar name, Manoj Nikam, was listed online as a salesperson under a Mississauga brokerage following the arrest, but inquiries made to the company were not responded to. CTV News video journalist Cory Nordstrom attended a court hearing where the accused appeared following the charge and confirmed the suspect appears to be the same man. "While we can’t confirm this is the same individual, we have a record of someone with a similar name who was registered as real estate salesperson in Ontario until Aug. 17," the Real Estate Council of Ontario told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in an email. "While we can’t speak to this specific case, we can tell you that the process of registering as a real estate agent in Ontario requires completing a rigorous education curriculum, and the successful completion of exams. All agents are further required to demonstrate fitness for registration by meeting certain prescribed requirements. Generally speaking, a criminal conviction would be a factor of consideration for any approval process." He is still currently listed in the online real estate database, but under a different brokerage. CTV News has reached out for comment and is awaiting a reply. The accused has been out on bail since a week after the incident. He is not allowed in to be in Thessalon, around or communicate with anyone under 16 years old, attend places where young people are present or have a weapon. No dates have been set yet for trial, but the matter will return for a hearing May 29 in Sault Ste. Marie Superior Court. The allegation has not been proven in court.
