 "Bandhu Maan Singh is a prominent criminal of the Goldy Dhillon gang and has several criminal cases registered against him. Image/ANI via Delhi Police")
The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Bandhu Maan Singh Sekhon, a figure with alleged ties to organised crime networks spanning India and Canada, in connection with the series of gunfire attacks on comedian Kapil Sharma’s Kaps Cafe in Surrey, British Columbia.
Investigators accuse him of overseeing logistics, providing weapons, and coordinating movements linked to the shooters who repeatedly targeted the establishment earlier this year.
His arrest follows months of international coordination between agencies examining patterns of cross-border criminal activity involving the Goldy Dhillon gang, a syndicate long associated with extortion, targeted violence, and arms trafficking.
Inside the cross-continental manhunt for Sekhon
The breakthrough came when Canadian investigators managed to trace a vehicle connected to one of the firing incidents.
Around the same time, Sekhon reportedly left Canada and entered India during August, coinciding with the investigation in Surrey.
Shortly after, Delhi Police took down an arms-smuggling network whose members disclosed, during interrogation, that they had delivered weapons to Sekhon in Ludhiana.
These statements provided the Crime Branch with the first concrete indication that he was operating from within India and played a larger role than previously understood.
Intelligence units began surveillance operations in Punjab with the aim of locating him.
After tracking his movements for days, police conducted a late-night raid in Ludhiana on November 25, where they apprehended Sekhon and recovered a PX-3 semi-automatic pistol of Chinese make and eight cartridges from his vehicle.
Authorities from the Crime Branch described him as someone deeply embedded in the logistical structure of the gang.
What we know about Sekhon
Delhi Police officials revealed that Sekhon’s association with organised crime began after his move to Canada several years ago.
According to Joint CP Crime Branch Surender Kumar, Sekhon initially went abroad on a work visa, taking up jobs in different establishments before coming into contact with extremist circles.
As Kumar explained, “He went to jail in some cases and developed links with extremists there. After that, he began working with them.”
His criminal footprint reportedly expanded during his stay in the country, with multiple cases registered against him for firearms-related offences and extortion-linked activities.
DCP Crime Branch Sanjeev Kumar Yadav confirmed that investigators had encountered his name earlier in an arms-trafficking case, stating, “After apprehending him, we learned that he is a Canada-based gangster involved in several firing and extortion cases there and was even arrested in Canada.”
Beyond official criminal charges, an online video circulating on social media shows Sekhon firing multiple rounds from what appears to be a shotgun in a snowy region believed to be in Canada.
In the clip, he is seen wearing a biker jacket and spectacles as he discharges the weapon while recording himself.
Police also disclosed that before joining the Dhillon network, he briefly had associations with the Harry Chatha gang, an outfit whose leader — currently linked with Pakistan’s ISI — is accused of threatening and extorting members of the South Asian diaspora in North America.
This indicates that Sekhon’s entry into organised crime may have preceded his involvement with the Dhillon faction and was shaped over years of exposure to criminal elements abroad.
How Sekhon became a key link in the Goldy Dhillon gang’s India-Canada ops
Investigators have stated that Sekhon became a trusted figure within the Goldy Dhillon gang, eventually taking on responsibilities that required coordination across borders.
He allegedly arranged vehicles, facilitated weapons transfers, and acted as an intermediary for overseas operatives.
He is also suspected of trying to revive sections of the gang’s network in India after returning from Canada. Police believe he was responsible for arranging sophisticated firearms, with officers citing earlier seizures in Delhi that included imported pistols such as the PX-5.7 and PX-3 models.
During questioning, arrested gang members Mandeep Singh and Dalvinder Kumar reportedly mentioned that one of the seized pistols had been delivered to Sekhon. These statements provided investigators with additional confirmation of his involvement in illegal arms procurement.
Authorities also noted that after the Surrey Police increased their crackdown in Canada late this summer, making arrests among the attackers’ local associates, Sekhon abruptly left Canada on August 23.
This departure coincided with the timeline of the second attack on the café and occurred shortly before he resurfaced in India. His movement suggested to investigators that he may have been aware of impending arrests abroad, prompting him to flee the country.
Officials now believe that Sekhon acted as a crucial logistics coordinator for shooters in Canada, including individuals identified by Canadian authorities as Daljot Rehal and Gurjot, who were allegedly working under the direction of Dhillon’s close aide Seepu.
Police say the shooters operated under detailed instructions from overseas gang leaders, and Sekhon was the point of contact responsible for connecting operations in both countries.
How the three shootings at Kaps Cafe unfolded
Kapil Sharma’s café in Surrey, known as “Kaps Cafe,” has been subjected to repeated targeted firing incidents. The attacks occurred on:
July 10
- August 7
October 16
Each incident involved unidentified individuals opening fire at the premises, either from a vehicle in motion or from the roadside.
While no injuries were recorded, all incidents resulted in property damage and raised security concerns.
Responsibility claims for the attacks have come from multiple individuals within overlapping criminal networks.
After the October shooting, a man identified as Kulvir Sidhu, reportedly with links to the Lawrence Bishnoi group, released a video claiming involvement.
In the clip, he said, “Today’s firing at Caps Cafe, Surrey was carried out by me, Kulvir Sidhu, Goldy Dhillon… Bollywood individuals who speak against our religion should also be prepared, bullet can come from anywhere.”
Earlier, Khalistani-affiliated figure Harjit Singh Laddi had claimed responsibility for the July incident, citing dissatisfaction with alleged remarks on Sharma’s television programme.
Gangster Goldy Dhillon himself also claimed involvement in the attack at a later stage.
Kapil Sharma, addressing the matter during a press conference on November 26, expressed frustration at the repeated shootings and the inability of local authorities to prevent them.
He stated, “There were three firing incidents…and I think maybe the police there don’t have enough power to control such things. But when our case happened, it was taken up at the deferral level…discussed in the Canadian Parliament.”
The string of attacks has prompted deeper inquiries into whether prominent Indian entertainers abroad are being increasingly targeted by foreign-based gangs as part of their extortion strategies.
Officials have also indicated that the case has opened avenues for inquiries into possible funding channels, additional associates, and operations involving other regions targeted by the gang.
With inputs from agencies