Veteran Indo-Canadian police officer denies theft, fraud charges

The arrest of 50-year-old Kalwinder Dosanjh, a serving officer of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), was announced by the force’s Chief Steve Rai. Dosanjh had been suspended from VPD with immediate effect

Toronto: A veteran Indo-Canadian police officer has denied the charges levelled against him by his own service. The arrest of 50-year-old Kalwinder Dosanjh, a serving officer of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), was announced by the force’s Chief Steve Rai on Friday. Rai said that Dosanjh had been suspended from VPD with immediate effect.

The arrest of 50-year-old Kalwinder Dosanjh (in picture), a serving officer of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), was announced by the force’s chief.

Dosanjh faces charges for multiple offences including four counts of fraud over CA$5,000, four counts of theft over CA$5,000, and one count of breach of trust.

The alleged activity at the centre of these allegations occurred between 2017 and 2025.

Better known as Kal, Dosanjh was often cited in Canadian media for his work with at-risk youth as the founder of the non-profit KidsPlay Foundation.

Dosanjh had completed 26 years of service.

On Tuesday, Dosanjh rejected the allegations in a statement issued through his lawyer. “I deny the allegations against me and I look forward to defending myself fully in court. I have complete confidence in my legal counsel and in the Canadian justice system, and I will allow the evidence and the facts to speak for themselves,” he said.

His lawyer Joven Narwal said the case now moves into an independent judicial process where the evidence and the integrity of the investigation can be tested. He also raised concerns about the decision to have VPD investigate one of its own long-serving members rather than refer the matter to an outside police agency.

“That raises legitimate concerns about investigative independence, objectivity and the safeguards used when a police department investigates one of its own members, particularly in a case the department itself has framed as a matter of public trust,” Narwal noted.

He stressed that Dosanjh “unequivocally” denied any wrongdoing. “He is presumed innocent, and that presumption must be respected regardless of the prominence of the allegations or the manner in which the charges were announced,” Narwal said.

VPD told media at a press conference in Vancouver on Friday that there were at least 19 victims linked to the charged filed against Dosanjh. Also arrested and charged was Sarabjit Singh Gill, 51, from Surrey, also in British Columbia. He was described as Dosanjh’s business partner. The fraud was linked to three development projects and the non-profit.

Police were first informed of the alleged criminal activity in December 2025, which led to the investigation, undertaken in associated with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).