A 25-year-old man, hired by the Bishnoi gang to intimidate Punjabi singer AP Dhillon, arrived in Canada four years ago on a student visa, per court documents obtained by CBC News. The judge who sentenced Abjeet Kingra for a violent attack on Dhillon’s B.C. residence in September 2024 noted that Kingra struggled academically and in the job market, leading him to take on the task to meet his family’s financial needs.
Judge Lisa Mrozinski sentenced Kingra to six years in prison for setting fire to vehicles in Dhillon’s driveway and firing multiple shots into his house, causing damage. Kingra, along with an accomplice, fled from a police officer attempting to arrest them after a traffic stop, with Kingra later apprehended in Ontario.
During the sentencing, Mrozinski described Kingra’s actions as “bizarre,” highlighting that he recorded the incident on a body camera, allowing the Bishnoi group to claim responsibility for the attack. This behavior was deemed “almost cinematic” and out of place in a residential neighborhood like Langford, British Columbia.
The case sheds light on the Bishnoi gang, recently designated as a terrorist entity by the Canadian government, and its expansion into North America from India. The gang’s criminal activities, driven by a mix of traditional codes of honor, business interests, and politics, include drug trafficking and extortion as primary revenue sources.
AP Dhillon, a successful singer and producer, faced threats from the Bishnoi gang due to his association with individuals linked to the organization. His home on Vancouver Island became a target, leading to the violent attack orchestrated by Kingra.
Mrozinski described Kingra as a follower rather than a leader in the criminal enterprise, emphasizing the premeditated nature of the attack. The goal was to instill fear and terror in Dhillon and those close to him on behalf of an international criminal organization.
Despite aspirations of academic success and permanent residency in Canada, Kingra now faces deportation following his convictions. His two-year sentence for arson and six-year sentence for discharging a firearm into Dhillon’s home will run concurrently, resulting in an additional four years and eight months of imprisonment after factoring in time already served.
