Ottawa residents following the rise in organized extortion across Canada have a new development to track: Canada's refugee board has ordered the deportation of Abjeet Kingra, a gunman linked to the infamous Bishnoi gang, as authorities ramp up a nationwide effort to dismantle extortion networks preying on South Asian communities.
Who is being deported
Kingra is the latest individual to face removal from Canada amid a coordinated, country-wide crackdown on extortion crews. The decision came down from the Immigration and Refugee Board, the independent tribunal that handles refugee and removal matters. According to Global News, Kingra is tied to the Bishnoi gang — a name that has become shorthand for a sprawling criminal network accused of running intimidation and extortion schemes against business owners and families.
The case is one of several that have surfaced as police forces and immigration authorities work together to identify and remove people connected to these operations.
A national problem with local stakes
While this particular case played out through the federal refugee system, the issue it represents is one that hits home in communities right across the country, including here in the capital region. Ottawa is home to a large and growing South Asian population, with vibrant communities in neighbourhoods and suburbs across the city. Extortion schemes that target business owners — often through threats, intimidation, and violence — create fear that ripples far beyond the immediate victims.
When national networks like the one Kingra is accused of being part of operate across provincial lines, no city is fully insulated. Community advocates have repeatedly urged residents who feel they are being targeted to come forward to police rather than paying out or staying silent, which is exactly the dynamic these gangs rely on.
Why the crackdown matters
The deportation order signals that immigration tools are now being used as part of the broader law enforcement response. Removing individuals tied to these networks is one lever authorities can pull, alongside criminal charges and police investigations. For Ottawa's South Asian residents and business owners, the message from authorities is that extortion is being treated as a serious, organized threat — not isolated incidents.
The Bishnoi name has drawn international attention, and Canadian officials have made clear that dismantling the local cells of these networks is a priority. Cases like Kingra's are likely to continue surfacing as investigations progress and more individuals are identified.
What residents should know
For anyone in Ottawa who believes they are being targeted by an extortion attempt, the consistent advice from law enforcement is to report it. Police across the country have stressed that cooperation from victims is essential to building cases and protecting communities. Staying silent only allows these networks to keep operating.
As the national crackdown continues, expect more removal orders and prosecutions to follow. The deportation of Abjeet Kingra is one step in what authorities describe as a sustained effort to shut these operations down.
Source: Global News Ottawa.
