Two cars allegedly used in shootout may be seized

Suit details what police say led up to confrontation

The B.C. Civil Forfeiture Office wants to keep two vehicles it alleges were involved in a gang shootout that left an Abbotsford teen dead last October.

In a statement of claim filed Dec. 22, the director of civil forfeiture alleges two Nissan Altimas — one white and one blue — were used by gun-toting members of rival crime groups the day Harwindip Baringh was shot to death.

No charges have been laid in the murder of the 18-year-old.

But the civil suit filed in B.C. Supreme Court lays out what police believe took place in the hours before the Oct. 2 targeted shooting.

Baringh was associated to the “Chahil crime group,” the court document says, and was driving with a passenger in a Jeep Grand Cherokee through a residential neighbourhood the evening he died.

About 6:37 p.m., the Jeep pulled over on Sparrow Drive and a blue 2007 Altima occupied by Baringh’s associates Navdeep Sidhu and Jaskarn Lally stopped beside it, the suit says.

“The passenger window of the blue Altima went down and a conversation took place between the occupants of the two vehicles. The Jeep then drove away and the blue Altima followed behind.”

About 7:45 the same night, surveillance cameras show the Jeep and the blue Altima following a white Acura and the white Altima.

“Mr. Baringh’s Jeep and the occupants of the blue Altima proceeded to follow the white Acura and the white Altima around a turn on Sparrow Drive where they were ambushed by occupants of the white Acura and the white Altima, whose vehicles were parked and blocking the road,” the director of civil forfeiture alleges.

Someone in the Acura got out and sprayed the Jeep with gunfire … An occupant or occupants of Mr. Baringh’s Jeep shot back at the occupants of the white Acura and Altima.”

The blue Altima pulled up closer to the Jeep and “more gun shots were exchanged between the occupants of the four vehicles.” Both Altimas and the Acura took off while the Jeep remained on Sparrow Drive.

Abbotsford Police received the 911 calls about shots fired around 7:46 p.m. and attended the scene to find Baringh’s body inside the Jeep.

“The police found numerous used bullet casings in close proximity to the Jeep,” the suit says. “The police also found several houses in the area of the shooting that had bullet holes penetrating their exterior.”

Investigators obtained search warrants for the two Altimas on Oct. 13. There’s no information in the suit about who owns the Acura and why it was not seized.

The white Altima is registered to Gurmail Brar, who told police his son Darshpreet was the car’s only driver. The director alleges the younger Brar is associated to the Dhaliwal crime group.

“The white Altima has been used to engage in a violent ongoing gang conflict between the Dhaliwal and Chahil crime groups and is a recognized target in that conflict,” the suit says.

“The white Altima was used to facilitate the murder of Mr. Baringh and the attempted murder of his associates and if released is likely to be used to engage in weapons offences and further violent crimes involving firearms.”

When police searched the blue Altima owned by Navdeep Sidhu, they found “bullet holes in the passenger quarter panel and windshield post that had been repaired with bondo putty. The windshield also contained a bullet hole on the bottom of the passenger side.”

The civil forfeiture director said the blue car “was used to conspire against and seek out associates of the Dhaliwal crime group that the occupants of the blue Altima were engaged in a violent conflict with.

“If returned to Mr. Sidhu, (the car) is likely to be used by him or his associates to commit further firearms offences and violent crimes that are likely to cause death or serious bodily harm.”

No statement of defence has yet been filed in the case.