Ludhiana, May 4
Nearly three decades after a murder convict jumped bail, fled to Canada, went on to become a multi-millionaire in British Columbia and married twice, a team of Ludhiana police today brought him back under the extradition treaty between the two countries.

Malkiat Singh, alias Mita, a fruit grower, owned a 100 are apple orchard besides other property in Winnipeg. He had changed his identity to Bhandol Malkiat Singh. He was extradited after a Canadian court termed him to be the person who was wanted in the murder of Teja Singh of Lalton. Teja Singh had been killed by five persons on March 25, 1975.

Bhandol succeeded in hoodwinking various security agencies, apart from the Indian and Canadian Embassies, all these years but was done in by his habit of excessive drinking. He was detained for driving under the influence of liquor by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Winnipeg in January 2004.

SSP R.K Jaiswal, while quoting the Canada police investigation, said the customary checking of his fingerprints revealed that these matched with those of Malkiat Singh, whose extradition was sought by India. Further investigation by Canada police revealed that he had changed his identity to Bhandol to avoid identification.

Harish Kumar, SP, City, and Inspector Sandeep Kumar brought him from Canada well before the deadline of May 7 set by a Canada court for his extradition. He was lodged in North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam, BC.

SSP Jaiswal said Bhandol has been sent to jail. The police would be pressing additional charges of jumping bail, making fake identity, passport and other documents.

His three other co-convicts are, however, leading a free life now in Lalton village after completing their prison term. Malkiat Singh had spent only four years and 12 days in prison before fleeing. He had got bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court when he had appealed against the conviction. The High Court dismissed his plea. But by that time he had already fled from the country.

SSP Jaiswal said the Ludhiana police kept following him and it was learnt that he had gone to Canada via Singapore and Germany. In early 1980 he went to Canada and married a Canadian citizen. A few months later he applied for permanent resident status which was granted to him in 1982. He divorced his first wife Kirandeep Toor and sponsored his fiancée, Jaswinder Kaur from India to immigrate to Canada.

After a few weeks of incarceration following his 2004 arrest, Bhandol was released on bail of nearly $ 2 million, arranged by as many as 13 persons. The Canada court, while approving the extradition, said it was satisfied that there were channels in the Indian justice system to allow hearing of the new evidence in favour of Bhandol's innocence and that is the place for that evidence, not Canada.