Indo-Canadian gangster jailed for assault

An Indian-origin gangster was sentenced to four months in jail for assaulting a fellow Indian-origin man three years ago, a media report said.

Manjit Adiwal (Mike), 35, reportedly a high profile gangster in Vancouver city in Canada, along with his associate Preetpal Sangha, 29, punched and threatened Gurpreet Sangha during a dispute at a lumber mill in Canada's Chilliwack city in May 2011, The Vancouver Sun reported Friday.

Adiwal's associate Preetpal Sangha was also sentenced to four months in jail after pleading guilty to uttering death threats during the same incident.

Adiwal, an auto mechanic, pleaded guilty to the assault last year.

The Supreme Court in Canada's British Columbia said that the origins of the dispute are unclear, but it culminated with threats and the assault on Gurpreet Sangha who owned a lumber mill along with Preetpal's father and others.

"The Crown suggested (the dispute) had to do with an argument between the partners; the mill appears to have been failing financially. The Crown says that Preetpal Sangha joined in on his father's behalf in confronting the complainant," the judge said in his ruling.

Gurpreet Sangha contacted the police "who reviewed the history of the text messages between the two" and later "began an undercover investigation".

The victim and Preetpal Sangha arranged to meet May 9, 2011. Preetpal brought along Adiwal and several others.

The judge noted the victim "was threatened with being shot. Adiwal slapped him about his head and pointedly asked the complainant if he knew who Adiwal was".

The court said the assault was not serious and "was more intended to humiliate the complainant in the sight of the mill workers than to cause bodily harm".