'Thought it was a toy gun': Indian man in Canada unaware of friend's Bishnoi links

Indian man in Canada says he had no idea his friend was working for Lawrence Bishnoi. Lawrence Bishnoi group directly threatening Canada police Jashandeep Singh, an Indian man, who has been linked to the incidents of extortion and shooting in Canada, made some shocking revelations after his friend Arshdeep Singh was deported back to India for his direct role in criminal activities in Ontario, Alberta and BC. Jashandeep said in his immigration hearing that he was not connected to the gang, he did not even know his college friend Arshdeep was and that his only mistake was that he never asked his friend why he had a gun -- because Jashandeep believed it was a toygun and even posed with it."It was my bad. Why didn't I ask them at that point in time?" Singh testified through a Punjabi interpreter. "At that point, I didn't know if I held the gun, they would connect me with extortion."The Canadian administration wants to deport Jashandeep too but he pleaded his case that he came to Canada as a student in 2022 and is now waiting for his post-graduate work permit.Jashandeep Singh is currently living with his sister and brother-in-law while he awaits the decision on whether he can stay in Canada. He said he feels ashamed and cannot look family members in the eye."My mother and father borrowed the money and sent me here," he said, "so that I could make a good future for myself.They had many hopes and dreams for me."While Jashandeep pleaded innocence, he himself admitted that he traveled in Arshdeep's car to a spot where Arshdeep fired the gun into the air multiple times. Jashandeep said Arshdeep called him the previous night and asked him if he could stay the night at Jashandeep's home in Edmonton, as the following day was his birthday.Jashandeep said he shared the house with seven to eight other men. "Arshdeep had a bag. He took out a gun from that bag and showed us. I did not know whether it was a licensed or unregistered gun," Jashandeep Singh testified. "When I picked it up, I was just holding it and another friend of mine who was living in the house with me, I started kidding with him. I just jokingly put it on his head as we were watching films."At the deportation hearing, investigator Kevin St Louis said they received a letter directly from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang last year in which Bishnoi said he had 1000 foot soldiers in Canada, willing to carry out shootings. The letter also stated how every business has to pay 'taxes' to the Bishnoi gang.