TEN CHARGED IN KIDNAPPINGS 4 Men Abducted At Gunpoint, Beaten In Drug-Related Crime Probe Continues In Jan. 16 Shooting Death Of Rajesh Owaan Ten men have now been charged in the drug-related kidnapping of four men who were beaten during their captivity. The accused, who include two of four men who had allegedly kidnapped the last victim, Balkar Singh, 33, from a Brampton street on Jan. 13, now face a total of more than 200 charges. "We're still looking for two more men, but essentially the task force has been shut down," Peel Acting Det. Sgt. Jim Dolan said yesterday. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Gaganpreet Gill, 31, of Brampton, said Dolan, the lead investigator of the 18-member task force probing the kidnappings. Early-morning raids involving task-force officers and Peel's tactical unit at several locations two weeks ago resulted in four arrests, police confirmed yesterday. Six other men allegedly involved in the kidnappings were arrested last month. It's alleged the three earlier victims were kidnapped as a way to force them to reveal the whereabouts of a missing $300,000 worth of marijuana. Police sources said the missing marijuana was part of a shipment being transported by a Brampton-based drug-trafficking network that allegedly used trucks to move illegal narcotics across Canada and into the United States. The marijuana has not been recovered. All four victims were beaten after being abducted at gunpoint between Jan. 6 and 9. They were released before Singh, a truck driver, was abducted at gunpoint in Brampton on Jan. 13. Dolan confirmed investigators weren't aware that Singh had even been kidnapped until one of the freed captives contacted police. The names of the other three victims haven't been released for their protection, police said. As police continue to search for others involved in the violent kidnapping spree, Ontario's Special Investigations Unit continues to probe the Jan. 16 shooting death of Rajesh Owaan, 21, of Concord. He was killed as Peel tactical officers tried to execute a search warrant at a Caledon home where Singh was believed being held for three days before being released. It's believed at least one of the other kidnap victims was also held at that same residence on Bramalea Rd. The latest to be arrested in connection with the kidnappings include Jatinder Bains, 20, of Toronto and Gurnham Toor, 36, of Brampton, both facing several firearms and kidnapping-related charges. Bains remains in custody but Toor was granted bail. Baljit Sall, 38, and Dharminder Hundall, 40, both of Mississauga, are charged with several firearms offences and have been granted bail. Jagdeep Singh, 43, of Hamilton, who was wounded in the gunfire, wasn't charged with any offence in connection with the kidnappings but was charged with breach of probation, breach of recognizance and several firearms offences related to the search warrant at the Caledon residence, where police say he was living at the time of the shooting. Harnesh Singh, 41, of Maple, and Amandeep Soos, 25, Abitabh Sharma, 25, and Jaskaranjit Singh, 35, all of Brampton, were previously charged with several counts of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, forcible confinement, kidnapping, kidnapping using a firearm and aggravated assault. The four men are out on bail. Sukhjit Dhaliwal, 31, of Woodbridge, whom police alleged was a key player in ordering the kidnappings, remains in custody and is charged with several counts of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, forcible confinement, kidnapping, kidnapping using a firearm and aggravated assault. Bains and Sharma are alleged to have been gunmen in the Singh kidnappings, police said.
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