MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS IN DRUG-RELATED KIDNAPPINGS

It's Believed To Be B.C.'s Longest Such Term

VANCOUVER - The moral culpability of Jethinder Singh Narwal was at
"the high end of the scale," a judge said yesterday as she imposed a
17-year prison sentence for three drug-related kidnappings.

The sentence Madam Justice Sunni Stromberg-Stein handed down is
believed to be the longest ever imposed in British Columbia for a
kidnapping or extortion-related offence.

"While there may be some prospect for the accused's rehabilitation, at
this point, this is secondary," Judge Stromberg-Stein said yesterday
during the sentencing in B.C. Supreme Court.

Judge Stromberg-Stein convicted Mr. Narwal earlier this month in the
separate kidnappings of three men, all suspected in the disappearance
of marijuana that was supposed to be smuggled across the border.

Mr. Narwal also has ties to the Air-India bombing investigation. His
aunt was a defence witness for Ajaib Singh Bagri, who was acquitted in
the Air-India trial along with Ripudaman Singh Malik.

Two of the kidnappings occurred last spring while Mr. Narwal was free
on bail after his arrest in the January, 2005, abduction of his cousin.

The cousin was suspected of stealing $400,000 worth of marijuana from
Mr. Narwal and his associates. The second kidnapping victim was
accused of a similar offence. Both men were assaulted at gunpoint and
threatened, but managed to escape.

A third man was kidnapped in May of 2005 and held for five days and
released after a ransom was paid.

Mr. Narwal was arrested in a garage in New Westminster where police
found $55,000 of the money that was paid as a ransom.

Judge Stromberg-Stein found all the victims unsavoury during the
trial, but said independent evidence proved the guilt of Mr. Narwal.

"These are some of the most serious offences in the Criminal Code,"
said the judge, who added that she believed Mr. Narwal played an
integral role in the kidnappings.

Undercover police officers in the public gallery were visibly pleased
after the sentence was imposed.

The Crown was seeking a term of 15 to 20 years in prison. Defence
lawyer Matthew Nathanson asked for six to eight years, and said his
client had support from friends and family and had become religious.

"Our research indicates that this is the longest sentence imposed in
B.C." for these offences, Crown attorney Joe Bellows said outside
court yesterday.

The prosecutor said that even if a victim of a violent crime has an
unsavoury character, it should not be a factor in sentencing.

He praised the victims for coming forward to police and for testifying
in court.

"That is no mean feat," said Mr. Bellows, who added that he hopes the
sentence will deter "like-minded" people from committing similar crimes.

There are still 11 other people awaiting trial as a result of arrests
made in connection with the kidnappings.

Because of pretrial custody Mr. Narwal has already served, just over
15 years remain in his sentence. And because his offences were
violent, it is unlikely he will be granted parole until he has served
two-thirds of the sentence.