Simran Preet Panesar, wanted in Canada’s biggest gold robbery, spotted in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, India – Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada Indian-origin manager and prime suspect in Canada’s biggest gold and cash heist, has been discovered living peacefully on the outskirts of Chandigarh. The team made the discovery with The Indian Express in association with CBC News: The Fifth Estate, Canada.

A bold burglary was reported on April 17, 2023, at Toronto Pearson International Airport, as a container of air cargo laden with gold and foreign currencies worth CAD 22.5 million (about INR 138 crore) was stolen. The shipment, which was brought in from Zurich, Switzerland, aboard an Air Canada flight, was kept in a storage area at the airport before being illegally taken out based on fake documents. The theft was reported to the police a day later, prompting an extensive investigation.

The stolen cargo contained 6,600 bars of .9999 pure gold, weighing approximately 400 kg, valued at over CAD 20 million, along with CAD 2.5 million in foreign currency. Investigators later recovered one kilogram of gold valued at approximately CAD 89,000, smelting equipment, and around CAD 434,000 in Canadian currency.

After a grueling investigation, six people in connection with the heist were arrested by the Canadian authorities: Indian-origin males Archit Grover, Parmpal Sidhu, and Amit Jalota, and Ammad Chaudhary, Ali Raza, and Prasath Paramalingam. Two prime suspects, though, were still missing—Brampton’s Simran Preet Panesar and Mississauga’s Arsalan Chaudhary.

Canadian authorities had issued countrywide warrants for both men, but their locations were unknown until recent news emerged about Panesar’s whereabouts in India.

Panesar was traced to a rented house on the outskirts of Chandigarh, where he is said to be living a peaceful life with his family, including his wife, Preety Panesar. Preety is a former Miss India Uganda, a singer, and an actress. Panesar has been living a normal life, keeping away from media contact and keeping a low profile, according to the investigative report.

When contacted by The Indian Express team at his home, Panesar declined to comment on record, fearing legal and security issues. According to reports, he had planned to surrender to the authorities in June 2023, but this did not happen.

The case is still one of Canada’s largest heists, and it has raised serious questions about security at major airports. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Interpol are said to be cooperating to locate the remaining stolen gold and arrest the fugitives. It is not known if Indian authorities have been officially approached for Panesar’s extradition.

Lawyers argue that in the light of the magnitude of the offense and the last known location of Panesar, international legal mechanisms can be triggered to have him repatriated to Canada for trial.

Now that Panesar has been found, the question is what happened to the rest of the gold and whether there were other accomplices remaining on the loose. The authorities are still investigating further down the financial tracks that the loot left behind, as well as potential links to smuggling rings.

While this high-profile case is unfolding, the pursuit of justice continues to be a main concern for the Canadian authorities in the hope that all the ill-gotten funds will be fully recovered and everybody involved brought to book.