AP Dhillon attack case: Canada halts deportation hearing as Lawrence Bishnoi gang member remains untraceable

Canadian officials abruptly halted the deportation hearing of Abjeet Kingra, an alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, after they were unable to locate him during virtual proceedings.

“Without knowing where he is, there’s not much else we can do,” the Immigration and Refugee Board member said before shutting down the hearing, as reported by Global News.

Kingra, who carried out a targeted shooting and arson attack at Punjabi singer AP Dhillon’s residence in Colwood, British Columbia in 2024, remains in custody.

However, authorities had transferred him between facilities without informing the Immigration and Refugee Board or the Canada Border Services Agency.

The case highlights the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate’s aggressive extortion operations targeting high-profile Punjabi celebrities, including singer AP Dhillon.

Attack on AP Dhillon’s home

On gang orders, Kingra fired multiple rounds into AP Dhillon’s house and set two vehicles on fire. He recorded the entire attack on a body camera and uploaded the footage, enabling the Bishnoi group to claim responsibility. The assault stemmed from a larger feud involving Bollywood actor Salman Khan.

Kingra entered Canada on a student visa that later expired. He pleaded guilty, received a six-year prison sentence in 2025, and now faces deportation as a member of a criminal organisation.

Hearing chaos

Officials paused the Immigration and Refugee Board hearing within minutes because no one could confirm Kingra’s location. Corrections authorities later confirmed he remained in custody but blamed poor coordination for the lapse.

As per an earlier report, Canadian authorities have claimed that Lawrence Bishnoi, currently in a Gujarat jail, continues to direct his gang’s operations from behind bars. Canadian authorities have designated the syndicate a terrorist entity due to its rising extortion and violence against Indo-Canadians.