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Penticton  

Prominent South Okanagan businessmen Singla, Toor charged with alleged immigration fraud

Alleged immigration fraud

Two prominent South Okanagan businessmen have been charged for their alleged role in an immigration fraud scheme, facing multiple counts under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. 

Surinder Paul Singla, founder of Singla Brothers Holdings Ltd. in Penticton and Randhir (Randy) Toor, president of Desert Hills Estate Winery in Oliver, are named in the court documents, CBC Vancouver reported Wednesday morning. 

Two other Lower Mainland men, Gurtaj Grewal and Ved Kaler, are also facing charges. 

Singla faces 10 charges relating to the period between March 2015 and January 2017. Toor faces 18 charges for alleged incidents between October 2015 and September 2017, as well as 10 charges of possessing a firearm without a licence and an additional weapons charge. 

Singla's home was the subject of a Canadian Border Services Agency raid in June 2018, though little was revealed about the reasons. 

The Singla family's lawyer released only a brief statement on behalf of the family at the time, stating "The CBSA agents did not have authority to be on the property."

Singla and Toor will appear in Penticton court Oct. 21.



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