IMMIGRATION CASE PUZZLES LOCAL POLICE

Former Holy Smoke Employee Faces Deportation

One of the Holy Smoke four is now facing possible deportation from Canada.

Danaraj Doraisamy, also known as Akka Annis and Khalil Gupta, was
arrested in the city by Nelson Police Department last Thursday,
February 19 under the Immigration Act for being unlawfully in Canada.

Originally from Singapore, Malaysia, Doraisamy had been living
illegally in Canada since 1990, said Insp. Henry Paivaranta of the NPD.

Last year Doraisamy was convicted of four offences of trafficking in
controlled substances at the Holy Smoke Culture Shop and was
sentenced to 40 days in custody. The sentence and convictions are
currently under appeal.

It was his conviction that brought Doraisamy's name up on the radar
of Immigration, the first time he had been noticed in 19 years. In
fact, he has been in the country since 1989, said Insp. Paivaranta.

"For 20 years, I don't know what he's done to exist and what he's
received as far as support from the provincial and federal
governments go," he said.

Immigration had a warrant in hand for his arrest when they showed up
last week, the inspector said, having received information on
Doraisamy that he was from Malaysia.

"When they did some querying with that name, the alias he was
providing, there was absolutely nothing on their system," he said.

Doraisamy was arrested at NPD headquarters February 19, showing up at
the front counter at the police station the day after he received a
message from Immigration to contact them. The Immigration agent
interviewed him immediately, thereafter and found out who he was and
the details of his real background.

Police said Doraisamy came to Canada in 1989 to attend school under
his real name, decided that he liked the country and settled in B.C.

Police say he was forced to stick with the Akka Annis alias because
of a 2005 incident in which he provided that name to NPD, keeping the
name while he remained in the area. The police had no inkling he was
in the country illegally, said Inspt. Paivaranta.

His fingerprints matched the name he was giving, but not much else
was known about Doraisamay. Without a driver's licence, health care
card or SIN number, just how Doraisamay was able to exist is still a
puzzle, said Inspt. Paivaranta.

Annis claimed he knew how to grow his own food and was able to remain
self sufficient.

"Without knowing the full details you can speculate anything you
want," said Inspt. Paivaranta.

But how do you exist legitimately, if you can't provide a social
insurance number to employers, the inspector asked. Those questions
will be put to him, in the hearing this week in Vancouver.

To continue with his appeal. Doraisamay might have to apply to be
officially recognized landed immigrant and do it the appropriate way.
The Immigration case will likely affect his trafficking sentence and
conviction appeal, especially if he is deported.

Doraisamy was held in Nelson under the Immigration Act until
Saturday, when he was transferred to Vancouver for the hearing.