A Winnipeg man accused in a terrorist-linked extortion case denies being a member of the group, arguing he was coerced by the gang. Arshdeep Singh Brar, 36, is named alongside his wife, Lovepreet Kaur, in a statement of claim filed by Manitoba’s director of criminal property forfeiture. The filing is seeking to permanently seize a truck police say was used in the alleged extortion scheme. According to the court documents filed last month, Brar contacted an individual — identified only as a person of South Asian descent — in February from a Winnipeg payphone. The claim said Brar then allegedly identified himself as a member of the Bishnoi gang and demanded payment. In the following days, the filing alleged, the victim received a threatening letter by mail, demanding $150,000 be dropped off in a specified location near the Trans-Canada Highway to ensure his safety. “In Canada, it’s not hard to find people to do shootings, just for five or six thousand dollars,” reads a portion of that letter translated from Hindi and included in a police narrative filed with the court. “If you tried to contact police or tried to be clever with me, remember I have all the information of your house, your wife, kids and even your brother in India,” reads another portion of the translated letter. The victim went to Winnipeg Police Service’s headquarters the next day, the court document stated. After the victim received a second phone call, police prepared a package containing currency. It was delivered to the specified drop-off location on March 2, according to court documents. The filing alleges Brar retrieved the package in the truck. Police then initiated a traffic stop near Headingley, where he was arrested. However, in a joint statement of defence filed on July 30, Brar denies being a member of the Bishnoi gang. He also denies contacting the victim by phone or authoring the letter. The filing claims any involvement he had in delivering the letter “occurred under compulsion, threat, or coercion from another person who identifies themselves as a member of the Bishnoi gang.” “The defendant Brar denies that any such involvement establishes that he participated in the activities of a terrorist group or criminal organization, or that the truck is an instrument of unlawful activity within the meaning of the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act,” it reads. The filing further claims Manitoba’s director of criminal property forfeiture has shown no evidence that Kaur — the truck’s registered owner — participated in, benefited from, or had knowledge of any alleged unlawful activity. It adds that forfeiture of her truck “would be unjust, disproportionate and contrary to the interests of justice.” Ford Credit Canada is also listed as a defendant. Documentation from the company filed with the court shows an outstanding principle balance on the vehicle’s loan of over $62,000. The statement of defence seeks an order dismissing the forfeiture claim, along with costs. None of the allegations have been proven in court. Court filings show Judge Jonathan Woolley granted an interim order on July 29 for Winnipeg police to hold the truck for safekeeping on behalf of the director until further order of the court. The defendants did not appear in court, the order notes. The Bishnoi gang was designated a terrorist entity under Canada’s Criminal Code in September 2025. According to the federal government, it is a transnational criminal organization operating primarily out of India with a presence in Canada, targeting diaspora communities, prominent community members, businesses, and cultural figures. It is among more than 80 groups currently listed as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code.
